Broken Strings
by DZ2
Summary: Abandoned by more than just the wizarding world, Harry chooses to embrace a side of him that he never knew existed with a guardian he never expected. However, as he learns more about his power, he finds himself wanting protections, comfort and companionship…from a certain grey-eyed Slytherin. Harry/Draco
1. A Dark Revelation

Broken Strings: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Plot: **Abandoned by more than just the wizarding world, Harry chooses to embrace a side of him that he never knew existed with a guardian he never expected. However, as he learns more about his power, he finds himself wanting protections, comfort and companionship…from a certain grey-eyed Slytherin.

**Author's Note: **I don't actually know where this story came from, to be honest: however, I chose to give it a go as I have never really explored this type of pairing in my stories and, well, when it comes to _reading_ about it, there's only one favourite for me. So, think of this as a…project, if you want to, but for me, it's a challenge.

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

Prologue: A Dark Revelation

After spending his life with people like the Dursleys, someone would almost think that Harry was used to being alone in the world; however, after fifteen years of it and then for the rest of his true home's people to abandon him, Harry had believed that he had people he could trust. People he could rely on to stand strong and true at his side, but, as was the case, Harry was once again proven wrong.

Sat alone on his bed in Gryffindor Tower, his knees hugging his chest, Harry tried not to show tears as memories haunted him: it was bad enough that his year had been plagued by nightmares about Voldemort while his waking hours were possessed by that sick bitch, Dolores Umbridge. However, on top of all that, Harry had never expected a revelation to be shown to him like the one he'd encountered a short time before his isolation in the Tower.

The worst part about it: the revelation came from two that Harry had always believed would be there for him throughout everything…

_Flashback Start_

It had happened as Harry had been leaving the class of his most hated Professor, Severus Snape: he'd gone up towards the Great Hall in the hopes of getting a bite to eat before the glares, whispers and taunts had started. However, as he walked past the door that led towards the hall, Harry had heard a sharp hissing sound: the sound of someone being told to remain quiet.

Moving along the corridor, Harry found what looked to be a broom cupboard and, from the other side, he heard a voice complain, "But Hermione, even you must know that enough's enough; when he's not screaming in his sleep, he's getting Gryffindor into trouble with that Umbridge woman. He gets himself removed from the team and, because of that, it's like we've become Public Enemies numbers one, two and three."

"I understand that you're upset, Ronald," Hermione's voice answered, Harry freezing in position as he heard them: it didn't take a genius to figure out that they were talking about him. "But Harry…well, he needs us; because the Order's away from the school, he needs us to make sure he keeps his head down."

"And does that involve having prestige taken from us?" asked Ron, Harry's hand now moving to the scars on the back of his right hand as he heard them, "I mean, we're meant to be Prefects and yet we're looked upon as though we're filth: and why? Because we support Harry and his war-mongering, trouble causing ways. Even you have to admit it, Hermione: something needs to change before we become lower than the low around here: I'm on the team and nobody seems to care; you've heard their taunts?"

There was a sigh, before Hermione told Ron, "I…I guess you're right; I mean…I don't like it, but Harry's nightmares are…well, they're not our problem and I guess, in a way, I am sad that our own House hates us because…because of him. But what can we do? You heard Professor Dumbledore; we have to keep an eye on him and then next summer, we get inducted into the Order: that was the reason he offered you the badge in the first place: to keep tabs on Harry's rule-breaking and…"

Harry couldn't hear any more: he turned and ran straight for the tower, his heart breaking inside;

He had officially lost the ties to his friends…

_Flashback End_

'Prestige?' Harry thought, bringing his knees closer to his chest as he sat there, 'Is that all I was to them? To the Order? And how can they blame me for the things the House are saying? It's not my fault that Dumbledore's the one making things worse around here. And now…now they blame me for it: they stand by me because…because they're being rewarded for it?'

He shook his head as he let his forehead rest against his knees, his eyes holding back tears as he felt his heart grow cold: his best friends, the people that had always been there through thick and thin: now they were turning their backs on him.

He really was alone in the world: Dumbledore wasn't listening to him; Sirius was so far away because of his house arrest, the school chose to treat him like an outcast and now…and now his own best friends betray his trust, his confidence…and for what?

A stupid _badge_?

A place among the Order?

'Well Dad,' Harry thought, directing his thoughts to whatever spirits operated the ether, 'It looks like we _do_ have more in common than our looks: we were both betrayed by friends…and now…I'm alone.'

The door to the dormitory opened, cutting off Harry's train of thought and, as he looked up, his blood boiled as he saw said traitor walking through the door, a look of disgust crossing Ron's face before it was hidden behind a fake smile as he asked, "Harry, what are you doing up here, mate? Aren't you hungry or what?"

"Not really, Ron," Harry sighed, scratching slightly at the words on the back of his hand as he added, "Besides, I can't really stomach anything knowing I have _another_ detention with Umbridge coming up."

"Yeah," Ron sighed, adopting an almost pitying expression as he told Harry, "Shame about you being cut from the team: still, at least she hasn't expelled you or anything, right?"

Harry had a distinct impression that the word _yet_ was meant to be added there, but he said nothing; instead, he shrugged before he asked, "So, what are you doing here?"

"Hermione noticed you weren't there," Ron explained, "She wanted me to find you and, well, the Tower was the first place I could think of: now I see you're okay, I guess I can go, all right?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, looking to the side of his bed where Hermione had left a vial of Murtlap Essence to treat his wound; with a hardened glare, he added, "Thank Hermione for thinking ahead, would you…"

But, by the time he'd turned back to address his so-called friend, Ron was gone and Harry, leaning back on his bed, could only stare at the ceiling, his eyes growing heavy all of a sudden as though his pain, anxiety and isolation had drained his energy.

As sleep seemed to claim him, he reasoned to himself, 'I'm alone again in the world…and there's nothing I can do about…it…'

_**BrokenStrings**_

Because he'd fallen asleep, Harry was a minute late to Umbridge's detention and, for that, she didn't just have him carve his hand open with the words _I must not tell lies,_ but she also had him write: _I must be on time to my punishments_.

As he wrote both sentences, Umbridge actually having the sick-minded will to force him to write the second statement into his left hand so he'd never forget either warning, Harry winced and, trying as hard as he could to concentrate, instead found himself becoming hollow inside. What was the point in continuing like this?

She'd only find some other reason to treat him like a human pincushion and carve new warnings into him until they covered him like a full-bodied tattoo; besides, Harry had learned that he couldn't tell lies, but the idiots at the Ministry let Fudge and this toad walk over them and convince them that Harry was lying. With another carving sentence being added to the pain on his wrist, Harry's thoughts wandered to what he'd said earlier, 'I'm alone in the world…on my own; nothing I can do about that. I mean, who gives a shit if I live or if I died tomorrow?'

Then, as his thoughts ran through his mind, Harry was stunned when, all of a sudden, the pain on both of his hands began to recede; glancing to the marks on his hands, Harry was stunned to see a light, but very real, film made from green and gold sparks trail around the outline of his scars, the magic of these sparks nullifying the pain from his wounds. At the same time, Harry watched in awe as the words that he was writing began to replicate themselves time and time again until seven sheets were filled with each sentence.

With a gulp, Harry muttered, "Erm…pardon me, Professor Umbridge…but…I'm done."

The pink-dressed professor looked up and seemed both reviled and sickened to see the pages filled with Harry's writing: however, when she checked the wounds on his hands, she went from sickened to satisfied before she told him, "I daresay you have gotten the message, Mr Potter: now, can you tell me what you will not do from this day?"

"I must not…sorry: make that…I _will not_ tell lies," Harry told her, his voice surprising himself as it made him sound like he'd been defeated, "I promise you, Professor Umbridge; I will never again tell lies."

"Good boy," Umbridge told him, taking the pages and, stacking them together, she told Harry, "You may go, Mr Potter: given your promise, I will be very disappointed if I find you here again: good night."

"Good night, Professor Umbridge," Harry replied, giving her a curt nod of his head before he turned on his heel and left the office, the loud chimes of the Hogwarts clock telling Harry that it was close to eleven o clock at night.

_**BrokenStrings**_

Alone in his bed, his curtains closed tight around him, the essence rubbed into the scars, Harry looked again at his hands before he finally asked, "How…how did I do that?"

'_Harry…_'

The voice was so soft and sibilant that, for a second, Harry thought it to be nothing more than a whisper on the breeze; however, as he glanced around, Harry saw nobody there and the other boys of Gryffindor were asleep. Shaking it off, he laughed to himself, "Just imagining things…anyway, I…I couldn't have…have done…" he gave another yawn before he lay his head on the pillow.

'_Harry…_'

There was no way that he'd imagined _that_: sitting bolt upright, Harry grabbed his wand and, ever so slowly, he moved his curtains aside, before clambering out of bed and, leaving the dorm, he made his way down to the Common Room, his eyes looking everywhere as he whispered, "Who…who's there?"

'_Can't you guess?_' asked the sibilant voice, Harry now shuddering as he found the Common Room to be empty, but there was no way that he'd imagined the voice: it…it was impossible. '_Come on Harry,_' the voice continued, '_Use your head: you know who I am, but will you say it?_'

Suddenly, Harry had an icy jolt of realisation: the sibilant tone of the voice; its almost hissing tongue and the way that it seemed to mock him and make his skin crawl. Only one person in the entire world could do that: taking a seat close to the fire, Harry glanced around to make sure that no-one was playing tricks before, staring into the near-empty grate, he whispered, "It's…it's you…isn't it?"

'_Yes Harry,_' the cold voice replied, though Harry thought he heard a tone of almost relief fill the voice, '_You know who I am: say my name; go on, you'll feel better._'

Harry took a deep breath, then he whispered, "Voldemort…"

'_Yes,_' the voice of the Dark Lord replied, his tone as icy and as dark as ever before, '_Hello Harry; it's nice to hear from you again: tell me, did you like my little assist?_'

Remembering the sparks and the way that his words had been repeated over seven pages of parchment, Harry gulped before he asked, "That…that was you? How? Or I guess the more important question is…why?"

'_It was me,_' Voldemort told him, '_But more to the point, Harry, it was also you: it was your power that replicated those words and your intentions that nullified that dreadful pain. I simply…opened the door, you could say: as for why? You wouldn't believe me if I told you._'

"Try me," Harry whispered, shuddering at the sound of Voldemort's voice: it wasn't mocking or taunting; in fact, it was as though Harry was in a conversation with a teacher…and that frightened him.

'_Very well,_' Voldemort explained, '_I did it, Harry Potter, because I wish to _help _you…to set you free of those dark thoughts that plague you. There is a debt, Harry Potter, and I wish to repay it _any way I can._'_

Voldemort was right: Harry _didn't_ believe it…

**And there it is: Chapter 1 of my project story and I know, I can't believe it either: Voldemort wants to help Harry and repay a debt: what debt and how does he repay it?**

**Also, what will Harry do when he reveals his knowledge of his friends' betrayals?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: A meeting that Harry would _never_ have attended even if he was paid to; a few surprises and information that shows Harry that he was always alone: plus, it seems Voldemort is _deadly_ serious about repaying the debt, but can Harry trust his long-time enemy?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I should point out that this story is NOT based on the relationship, though the pairing IS what I said it will be; it may not come around for a few chapters, but it will be there. Also, Harry is Dark in this, but it's more the dark that's against Dumbledore while being independent of himself: by that, I mean he won't be fully dark, more like the darker shade of grey…**


	2. The Unforeseen Event

Broken Strings: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**Ashletta Rose Everdeen: Not so much evil, but he will be seen as the Manipulative Old Bar-Steward that we know and loath, especially by Harry: after all, he's abandoned Harry too, remember?**

**Juventus: Draco will enter the fray fairly soon;**

**StormyFireDragon: Well, your way of writing this style of pairing inspired me, Storm: also, I have a nice idea for the relationship and encounters between Harry and Tom/Voldemort;**

**Merlinfanboy101: The resurrected Tom;**

**T4: Yeah well, it's a challenge mate: I've never really explored it and, after reading some of my favourite works, I knew I had to give it at least one try, right?**

**Harryhermionealways: Wow, I never thought you'd go for an anti-Hermione story, but I can assure you that Harry will deal with them in due course;**

'_It was me,' Voldemort told him, 'But more to the point, Harry, it was also you: it was your power that replicated those words and your intentions that nullified that dreadful pain. I simply…opened the door, you could say: as for why? You wouldn't believe me if I told you.'_

"_Try me," Harry whispered, shuddering at the sound of Voldemort's voice: it wasn't mocking or taunting; in fact, it was as though Harry was in a conversation with a teacher…and that frightened him._

'_Very well,' Voldemort explained, 'I did it, Harry Potter, because I wish to help you…to set you free of those dark thoughts that plague you. There is a debt, Harry Potter, and I wish to repay it any way I can.'_

_Voldemort was right: Harry didn't believe it…_

Chapter 1: The Unforeseen Event

Harry stood at the foot of the steps that led up to the Shrieking Shack, his Invisibility Cloak folded in one pocket while his wand was tucked away in the other, his mind repeating the same phrase over and over again every chance it got, 'I must be crazy.'

He had to be, he reasoned, to agree to what he had done not too long ago…

_Flashback Start_

'…_I wish to help you; to set you free of those dark thoughts that plague you. There is a debt, Harry Potter, and I wish to repay it any way I can._'

Harry felt like the world had literally stood still in the moments that followed Voldemort's words; peering into the hearth of the fireplace, he asked, "Why…why do you feel I owe you a debt? And what makes you think I will accept it?"

'_Because this is no mere trifle that I offer to you,_' Voldemort explained, his voice as serious as ever, '_I will literally, give you anything you ask: even if you demand repayment in any way, shape or form for what happened last June, I will still give it to you. Tell me, Harry Potter, what is it you want? Resources of magical improvements, perhaps? A precious object to call your own? A new home; a new life; perhaps even female companionship: is that it, Harry?_'

Harry could only hope that the Dark Lord couldn't sense his embarrassment as he knew what the man was referring to: he'd never told anyone about his feelings for what some may consider the wrong side of a romantic interest, but it was just the way he was. Shaking his head, Harry asked again, "Why are you offering this to me, Tom Riddle?"

There was no sign of a growl or displeasure at the name; instead, the Dark Lord continued, '_As I said, it is a debt that I wish to pay: I will, of course, tell you more, but it must be your decision. At any rate, I wish to sever the ties that bind our fates and leave you to whatever path you choose: however, if I sense your thoughts correctly, what you truly desire is to never be alone, am I right?_'

He didn't want to say it, but…

"Yes."

'_Then tell me what you wish,_' Tom explained, his voice still serious, '_No matter what the request, Harry, I shall not deny it to you: do you wish more power? A chance to show them that you are like the proverbial cornered animal and you are now at your most dangerous? Or do you desire the safety and company of one who will never leave your side?_'

"I want you to tell me why you owe me a debt," Harry replied, his own voice now hard as he added, "I hate you, Riddle: I loathe you, I despise you and I want you dead…and so do you want the same of me, so why do you owe me and why are you so adamant in repaying it? Is it so you can get back to screwing my life?"

There was an amused laugh from the Dark Lord before he answered Harry's rather well-put question, '_Then I shall answer you, Harry, but a meeting and a truth like what I have to tell you is better done face-to-face; so, for that reason, I think we should agree to what is known in olden times as a parley. Just the two of us: no Order members, no Death Eaters, no Nagini and no desire for pain or conflict; agree to this meeting, Harry Potter, and I shall tell you everything you wish to know and then I shall still owe you this debt. I promise you that it will not be a waste of your time and I shall not use it as an opportunity to convert you to my side: it's just a talk._'

Harry wanted to scream: to say no to the man that had robbed him of his childhood and, for all intents and purposes, his innocence: he'd also taken away the last friends that Harry had believed he had because of how the Ministry and its ilk were against him. However, as he listened and considered Tom's words, something seemed to build within him and, as he leaned forwards, his voice low again as he asked, "And you'll give me anything I want afterwards?"

'_For a bright boy like you,_' came the reply, Harry shivering as he realised how honest the Dark Lord was being, '_Anything._'

"Do you promise? On your magic?"

'_I promise,_' Tom answered, the assurance passing through whatever link had been forged between them, '_I promise; just give me your guarantee to our meeting and your wish will be granted._'

Swallowing hard, Harry rubbed his hands over his face before he asked, "When…and where?"

_Flashback End_

'_Two nights from now…the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade; I'm sure it will be easy for _you_ to find a way to attend this meeting, Harry._'

The words of the Dark Lord still echoed in Harry's mind as he heaved another deep breath, the cold air of the shack seemingly wrapping around him as, not for the first time that night did Harry consider turning back and just leaving Voldemort and his so-called meeting. When Harry had combined the Map, his Father's Cloak and a little bit of patience and almost Slytherin-like slyness in his movements, it had indeed been easy to get down and out to the Whomping Willow, where he'd frozen its limbs and descended into the tunnel, remembering to free the flailing limbs from his spell as he'd stood in the cold tunnel that led to the Shack.

He could turn back: go back to Gryffindor Tower and submit himself to the life of loneliness and a path that he'd walk alone, but all that stopped him was the curiosity that burned inside him at the thought of Tom's offer. He hadn't tried to harm Harry and his words had been honest in each and every response he'd given to Harry's questions: then, with a chance to end this, Harry had to consider the offer: all he had to do was tell Tom what his wish was and the Dark Lord would give it to him.

But why?

That was the question that burned in Harry's mind: why was Tom so willing to oblige to one desire of the boy that he had made his job to kill?

The only thing that Harry had really gathered from their mental conversation was that it wasn't a trap: Tom's offer was genuine and so was this meeting; he wouldn't trick Harry and, as a guarantee, Tom had explained that if at any point a betrayal was shown, then the parley would be broken and Tom would become indebted to Harry as more than a simple wish. Such was the power of the ancient meeting rite known as parley: it forbid any harm being delivered to either party until the parley and its meeting time came to a close: betray it and your life and right to demand anything of the other party or parties became forfeit.

With a sigh, Harry made his choice: he had agreed with Tom that he didn't want to be alone and, through some strange twist of fate, the Dark Lord was almost offering Harry the chance to avoid being alone.

He began to climb the stairs, keeping his hands free as he wanted to show Voldemort that this meeting was working on both sides; reaching the door to the large room where everything had really changed for Harry, the young Gryffindor pushed open the door before he addressed the room. "If you're hiding anywhere in a desire to betray me, Tom, then I should warn you that I won't go easy."

"I know you won't, Harry," a sibilant voice replied, Harry then glancing up and, as he did so, his eyes widened: there, seated before him on one side of a table that was laden with hot drinks and what looked like cake was a young man. He looked a little like the Tom Riddle that Harry had encountered down in the Chamber of Secrets, albeit this Tom had a few more years on him and also had the same pale skin as the snake-faced monster that had disturbed Harry's sleep so often.

He was dressed in a rather casual black robe and had his trademark blood-ruby red eyes, which shone with amusement as he added, "Come: hope the décor is to your liking: I find tea and cake to be a suitable assist for meetings. Oh, and before you ask, it's not poisoned: to try any sort of poisoning or potion-induced change of your behaviour or pattern would betray the parley; now, come and sit down, Harry: we have much to talk about."

Harry approached the chair opposite Tom warily, but, as he finally sat down, he gave a chuckle before he asked, "You wearing a glamour or something, Tom? You look a hell of a lot better than when we last met: if I may be so bold."

"You rather that I look like…this?" asked Tom, his features then shifting into the snake-faced visage of the Dark Lord that Harry knew and loathed; when he shook his head in response, Voldemort became Tom again as he explained, "My facial transformation is part of the reason I asked you to be here tonight."

Pouring a drink, Harry sniffed once before he added sugar and, taking a drink, found it to be warm and refreshing; it even chased away the grim October coldness that had gripped Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Setting his cup down, he asked, "Now, before you spout off any promises that you can't keep, Tom, I think it best to just get on with this: what's with the debt and how do you owe it to me?"

"Ever the straight answer," Tom sniggered, taking his own drink as he explained, "That's one thing that I always admire about you, Harry: but, you're right that we shouldn't waste time here; who knows how long it'll be before they realise you've gone AWOL? Anyway, to answer that question, it's best that we start at the beginning: do you recall the graveyard incident back in June?"

"Every time I shut my eyes," Harry replied, his voice filled with the same coldness and sadness he'd felt two days before, "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Tom explained, his eyes on Harry as he seemed to take in the young boy before him: with his somewhat gaunt appearance and almost lifeless eyes, there was a haunting sense of attractiveness to him, but Tom wasn't interested in that sort of payback for the young Gryffindor. Clearing his throat to put aside his thoughts, he continued, "When I took your blood to assist in my resurrection, it unwillingly did something that, for the second time in my rather complex lifetime, I did not foresee: it completed and cemented a bond unlike any other."

"A bond?" asked Harry, "What…what sort of bond?"

"It's called a Sire's Bond," explained Tom, the two words giving Harry a shiver and a look of confused angst that actually had the Dark Lord smiling as he proceeded to explain, "A Sire's Bond, Harry, is something that is both rare and extremely powerful: it is also nigh impossible to break unless one of the two parties involved in the bond dies. This downside also brings me to the second point of the debt that I owe you, Harry: you see, when I took your blood, I sensed something in you that was the first unforeseen event in my life."

"And what's that?" asked Harry, slightly repulsed at the thought of being bonded in _any_ way to Voldemort until the day that he died.

"Tell me: have you ever heard of a piece of Dark Magic known as a Horcrux?" asked Tom and again he noticed that Harry shivered at the word, though the emerald-green eyes of the Gryffindor wizard suddenly filled with light and power.

"No," he answered Tom, taking another drink as he asked, "Care to explain?"

"Gladly," replied Tom, linking his fingers as he spoke, "A Horcrux is a piece of dark magic that takes the form of an item: it is an object in which a person has concealed a part of their soul. Someone who fashions a Horcrux splits their soul and hides it in an object; then they are protected should they be attacked and their body destroyed. When I was younger and looked more like the young man that you see before you, I did not desire to meet my end and so I created several Horcruxes to protect my future as, in the case of a Horcrux, the part of your soul that is hidden within the chosen object lives on: in other words, Harry, you cannot die."

"Are you saying that I'm one of your Horcruxes?" asked Harry, slightly awed at the thought of this magic: was this how Voldemort's magic had been transferred to him as a baby, which resulted in him becoming a Parseltongue and inheriting several of Tom Riddle's traits?

"Yes," Tom answered, his voice as calm, but serious as he had been when he'd spoken to Harry before, "When I took the lives of your parents and your Mother's love protected you, my soul compensated for my destruction by turning you into a Horcrux and that, Harry, is only half of the Sire's Bond."

"What's the other half?" asked Harry, his hands curled into fists at the reminder of the darkest day of his life.

Noticing this, Tom held his own hand up before he continued, "Harry, I can wager that you are still angered by the events of that night and, if you so wish it, I will apologise to you and give you anything you desire: that is one part of the debt I owe to you. Now, to answer your question, the second half of the bond involves the transfer of blood from one source to another. When I took your blood in the graveyard, I was not aware that you were one of my Horcruxes and was therefore unprepared for the creating of the Sire's Bond when I was revived. I suspect that the fact we also bear twinned wands has something to do with the strength of the bond that I feel inside me; in time, Harry, you will feel it too and this, in all sense of the word, is the reason for the debt. You gave me life, Harry and, willing or not, you also forced me to cement the bond through the transfer of your blood to me and my soul to you; such magic is known as Ethermancy; the magic of the Soul."

"And what does this have to do with the fact that you wish to give me whatever I want in repay for this debt?" asked Harry, his voice slightly angered by what he was hearing: if a Horcrux protected one from death and this Bond could only be broken by the death of one of the parties, then it sounded like it would never be broken.

"That's part of the outcome of a Sire's Bond," explained Tom, clearing his throat before he continued, "You see, Harry, in ancient magical terms, a sire is someone that gives life and power anew to another: today, it's used to address the people turned by dark creatures. However, in the term of the bond, the Sire is one that becomes responsible for the care and protections of the one that he has invoked the bond with; in this case, Harry: it's you. Because of this bond, I can never harm you and I can pose no further threat to you, which is why I am willing to do anything you wish to see that you are not alone and that you remain the boy and young man I see before me. It sounds a little out there, I know, but that is basically it, Harry: the bond also gives us the ability to speak with our minds, which is how I spoke with you. Don't worry," he added as Harry looked like he'd lost his own well-being to the bond, "There's nothing…sensual or invading about the bond: I mean, we don't need to do anything that someone of maybe a soul bond or a life-mate's bond would do to seal it. All I want to do, Harry, is give you whatever it takes to keep you happy and protect you from the shadows of your own loneliness. The isolation of the world has broken you, Harry; I'm aware of that, but, if you let me, I can repair the…broken strings of your life and bring you back: bigger, better and more than anyone else would wish for you."

Harry didn't know what to say in response to that: here was his enemy; the man that wanted him dead so that he could rule, offering him anything he wanted on a silver platter and all for the sake of this bond. Harry, however, knew of the underlying truth that was there: there was another reason that Tom was doing this; with a scowl, he asked, "And why shouldn't I believe that you're only doing this because there's a piece of your soul inside me? After all, if you find a way to take it out of me, then I become useless again and you get the chance you've wanted…to kill me."

"The Bond won't let me harm you or endanger your life without your permission," Tom explained, surprising Harry with that piece of information, "I've become your Sire, Harry, which in magical terms and the terms of the bond, would make you my ward, my charge and my responsibility. I won't allow my Death Eaters to harm you and, if it is your wish, then I will make them respect you as they do me. You are now the most precious thing to me and I will do anything and everything to see you smile and see you strong. You're not alone anymore, Harry Potter: I'm here for you and, whether I like it or not, I always will be."

"And this will be my choice?" asked Harry, looking to Tom, "I won't have to take your Mark or do anything I don't want to; I don't have to prove anything to anyone?"

"Yes to the first," Tom answered, "No to the second and the third and no to the last question as well; you may do as you wish, Harry and, when you need anything, I will give it to you. It's time for you to stop being that little lone lion and embrace what you really are, Harry: a warrior wizard and someone with real power. If you want my help discovering that power, I'll help you: all you have to do is ask."

Harry didn't know what to say…but he did need proof; it was time to test Tom's little promise:

"All right," he sighed, "You say that you'll give me what I want? Then prove it: start with what you said earlier, Tom Riddle, and tell me you're sorry for taking my parents, my childhood and my innocence from me."

"I _am_ sorry, little one," Tom explained, his eyes locked onto Harry's as he spoke, "Not only should I have not forged this bond with you through that, but if I had suspected the pain and hardships that you had faced, I would never have gone after your family. If I must, I will spend the rest of my natural life making it up to you and this is part of the reason that I do this: when I did the deed nearly fifteen years ago, I felt nothing; but now, because of this bond, I feel pain, remorse and sorrow…and not all of it is yours. I am not asking you to forgive me, but I would like you to trust me: I'll give you the world, Harry and all you need do is say it and it is done."

"And you say…" Harry added, his voice breaking slightly with the emotion that he felt with his next words, "That you…you'll never leave…leave me alone; I won't be alone in…in what lies ahead. I can make my own destiny and I'll have your support no matter what?"

"No matter what," Tom answered him, his voice calm and an actual smile crossing his face as he asked, "Can…can I prove that to you with one thing, Harry?"

"What?" asked Harry, looking up as he heard Tom's chair being moved; seconds later, the Dark Lord had kneeled down and, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders, he held the young teen close, his hands, his very touch filled with soothing warmth instead of discomforting coldness.

"I'm right here, Harry," Tom whispered in his ear, "I will drop everything to answer your call; I'll protect you when you feel vulnerable and be there for you when you feel alone: I'll key you into the wards of my home so you may come and go as you please, learning all that you wish to learn. I'll give you real friends and real supporters; you won't have to fear any of your magic: it will be yours to use as you wish: I give you my word, my little snake in lion's clothing."

Then, he let go of Harry, his red eyes looking into the Gryffindor's green ones, though Tom did sense an air of strength and…curiosity behind those eyes; lifting his hand, the Dark Lord brushed his hand over Harry's fringe before he asked, "What is it, Harry? You can tell me."

"What…what you just said," Harry told him, "About…about not fearing my power and…calling me a…a snake in lion's clothing: I think…I think there's something you need to know."

"What's that?" asked Tom, Harry now meeting his red eyes again as he gulped, his face set with an air of determination that Tom recognised from their previous encounters: Harry was starting to come back.

"Give me your wand," Harry told him, his voice calm as he explained, "If I use mine outside Hogwarts grounds, they'll know."

Obliging him, Tom handed Harry his yew and phoenix feather wand, Harry actually sighing as he muttered, "It…it feels warm; like it belongs with me."

"A bond through brother wands has that effect," explained Tom, but Harry didn't say anything more.

Instead, he lifted the wand and, with a simple flick, he commanded, "_Serpensortia._"

At his command, an emerald green python emerged from the tip of Voldemort's wand, Harry looking to the snake while Tom looked at him with awe: was Harry saying what he thought he was saying?

He was;

/_Serpent; I apologise for disturbing your slumber,_/ Harry hissed, his words as clear and as sibilant as Tom's own Parseltongue speech: this was incredible, /_If you stay with me, then I shall not send you back to the darkness._/

/_I shall obey the will of a Speaker of the Snake Master's Gift,_/ the snake, a female like Nagini as Tom noticed, replied, her beautiful scales and smooth body slithering up Harry's arm where she puffed at his cheek, /_I taste your strength, little one: you are strong in the ways of the Gift and the ways of the magi; I am proud and honoured to serve one like you._/

/_Thank you,_/ Harry replied, the snake settling around his neck as he added, /_I think I'll call you Rose: your eyes are a light shade of red and they remind me of roses._/

/_I like that name,_/ the snake hissed, Harry stroking her, Rose's, scales gently as he glanced to a stunned Tom Riddle.

"I'm a Parseltongue," Harry explained calmly, "I have been since I could remember and, according to those at Hogwarts, it's because you transferred your power to me when you…when you put the Horcrux inside me."

"As much as I'd love to take credit for that, Harry," Tom explained, "Such a gift like Parseltongue cannot be transferred: it can only be inherited; clearly, somewhere down the line of your family, you have a claim to Slytherin's legacy: I suspect that my Horcrux's power may have simply enhanced that legacy and given you the gift."

"So I really _am_ the Heir of Slytherin?" asked Harry, his eyes wide with wonder, "And I really did belong there?"

"Yes you are and yes you did," Tom answered, smiling as he saw more and more of the old Harry coming back: sometimes, a little home truth was enough to help…but that wouldn't stop things here, Tom was sure of that. "But you _chose_ Gryffindor and you chose to follow this path; now, Harry, I ask you: will you choose the path before you or will you let me help you?"

"I…I don't know," Harry admitted, looking to Tom while he continued to stroke Rose, "I mean…you've…you've given me a lot to think about, Tom and I understand that you can't and clearly don't want to hurt me, but…I just don't know. I…I need time to think about it: can I have that?"

"Yes you can, Harry," Tom informed him, rising from his position as he added, "Tell you what: Halloween night is a fortnight from today, so why don't I give you until then? You can come to the Manor and we can just spend time together as we have tonight; also, if you want me to, I'll give you a memorial and give you the chance to say goodbye: the one thing you haven't been able to do for a _very_ long time; is that all right?"

"I…I suppose so," Harry sighed, stroking Rose gently as he added, "But…don't try to sway me, Tom: if I do this, then it's my own decision; in the meantime, you've given me an opportunity here and I'm not going to waste it."

"Oh?" asked the Dark Lord, "And what opportunity is that, Harry?"

"You've given me a reason to stop feeling so sorry for myself," Harry explained, glancing towards Tom as he spoke, "About Cedric, about your return and about everyone choosing to stand against me, including my own best friends. I may have to be alone at Hogwarts, but I won't be alone forever; that much I know. It's time I show them that even I can change things: I can change me and, if I am meant to be a Slytherin, then maybe it's time I look into how I act like one."

"How?" asked Tom, an amused smile crossing his face as Harry shrugged his robe, Rose slithering around his waist where she was warm under his robe.

"I'll give you a clue," Harry laughed, giving Tom a look that was anything but the boy that the Dark Lord had faced before, "You're not the only enemy that I can choose to offer an olive branch to: I think it's time that I see if a certain offer is still available."

"From whom?"

"An old rival."

**Chapter 1 and Harry seems to have made a decision, but can old habits die so easily and what will he choose with regards to Tom and the Sire's Bond?**

**Also, can he forgive and forget and can Harry embrace his Slytherin nature to survive the trials ahead?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Harry offers the olive branch to TWO people that he decides could help release his inner Slytherin; also, as Halloween draws closer, Harry has a few choice words for his quote-unquote friends: plus, Halloween and Tom keeps his word, but what is Harry's choice?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I guess I should have warned you that there is going to be an OOC Voldemort in this: he's still Dark in the case of raids, Death Eaters and doing business, but he values Harry's safety because of the bond that has been forged.**


	3. The Dragon's Offer

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**TMNinjaGinga: I did point out that there'd be a few times where Voldemort would still be evil; the nice side of him is for Harry and him alone…though, given the pairing, I may have him show it around Draco as well;**

**StormyFireDragon: I'm glad I could help, Storm: I look forward to seeing it posted;**

**PhoenixFelicis: No; I know that's what I usually do with a nice-Tom to a Dark-Harry, but I decided to change it this time: also, as for Harry's wish for Umbridge's death…well, what can I say? Dark-Harry has potential so why shouldn't some dark-minded, easy to corrupt characters?**

**T4: Actually, the second one should be fairly obvious, but this one will take time as it's there to give Harry a taste of leadership and gain a protégé within the House that's turned its back on him;**

**Harryhermionealways: I have an idea for an involvement with Luna, but, as for Neville: well, it's time things change without the need for Dumbledork's Toy Soldiers;**

"_You've given me a reason to stop feeling so sorry for myself," Harry explained, glancing towards Tom as he spoke, "About Cedric, about your return and about everyone choosing to stand against me, including my own best friends. I may have to be alone at Hogwarts, but I won't be alone forever; that much I know. It's time I show them that even I can change things: I can change me and, if I am meant to be a Slytherin, then maybe it's time I look into how I act like one."_

"_How?" asked Tom, an amused smile crossing his face as Harry shrugged his robe, Rose slithering around his waist where she was warm under his robe._

"_I'll give you a clue," Harry laughed, giving Tom a look that was anything but the boy that the Dark Lord had faced before, "You're not the only enemy that I can choose to offer an olive branch to: I think it's time that I see if a certain offer is still available."_

Chapter 2: The Dragon's Offer

Creeping back into Hogwarts was remarkably easy for Harry, despite the fact that the halls were patrolled by Prefects, the Head Boy and Girl and the Professors of the school, and, as he slid back into bed, Rose now curling around his shoulders again as she puffed at his cheek, Harry stroked her before he whispered, /_He's given me much to think about, Rose: I don't know how I can make my choice in such a short space of time._/

/_You will make the choice that benefits you the most, Master,_/ Rose answered, Harry's strokes of her scales helping to ease his anxiety, /_And I will be here at your side to help in any way that I can._/

Looking to the red eyes that gave the serpent her namesake, Harry gave a rather sleepy smile before he asked, /_Would you mind not calling me Master? You are my friend, my only friend at the moment and my pet so call me Harry…or hatchling if you want._/

Rose nodded her head before she puffed at him once more, her tongue tickling the tip of Harry's nose as she told him, /_Now, hatchling: you should get some sleep: you can't make the right sort of choices if you're drained of energy, can you?_/

Harry nodded in agreement, before he petted her nose and, laying his head down, he closed his eyes, the soothing hisses of his new friend helping to keep his bad dreams and his doubts at bay…at least for tonight, anyway.

_**BrokenStrings**_

From his own place within Riddle Manor, Tom let himself remain in his human guise as he sat upon his throne, his own serpent, Nagini, coiled by his side as he considered the results of the meeting. He couldn't believe that Harry had actually asked for an apology and seemed to take it like a man rather than the vengeful Gryffindor that he was and then, on top of that, he had told Tom that it was thanks to him that he was now able to stop feeling so sorry for himself about everything that had happened.

In that one moment, the boy seemed to disappear and the warrior that Tom wanted to help turn Harry into had reared his head: but now, with two weeks to make his decision, could Harry go all the way?

Then there was this business about the rival that he was going to extend the olive branch to: from what the Dark Lord knew about the boy, he'd hazard a guess that Harry was talking about Malfoy Jr, but whether or not the young Slytherin would go through with it was another story. Now, Tom knew that he could have Lucius pass on a few secret messages to Draco and force him to oblige to Harry's clean slate, but if he did so, then Harry would suspect his hand and it wouldn't be a real friendship.

Besides, he had promised Harry that he wouldn't interfere or try to sway the boy's decisions and that was what he would do; however, as he felt the stirrings of the bond, the Dark Lord also felt an air of calmness and a small amount of fear from his young charge. Harry had spoken of nightmares and visions of darkness that involved Voldemort, but, to his knowledge, the Dark Lord hadn't sent Harry any visions: indeed, he'd only been able to _speak_ to Harry's mind because the boy's defences were lowered due to this forced isolation. But visions?

No, he hadn't sent them: maybe he could…no, he had promised he wouldn't intervene: for now, all the Dark Lord could do was wait.

However, as he settled upon his black throne, his eyes lazily scanning the room as he usually did when he was thinking, there was one small point that had come to his attention that he would ask Harry about when they next met:

And that question was: who would dare to harm his little snake with marks and branding words that looked like they'd been written with a Blood Quill?

Whoever it was; they weren't destined long for this world…

_**BrokenStrings**_

For the first time in a long time, Harry actually had a peaceful night's sleep and, when he woke the next morning, he felt restored and refreshed, his mind slightly clearer than before while, under his bedcovers, down by his feet, Rose snoozed lightly, Harry reaching down to pet her, which roused the snake from her slumber.

/_Good morning, Rose,_/ Harry hissed, Parseltongue now rolling almost perfectly from his tongue as he spoke to her, /_Did I hurt you at all?_/

/_No, Harry,_/ Rose answered, slithering up to her young master and, sliding under his robe, she coiled around his waist where she could keep an eye on him and rest up at the same time, /_You must not have been plagued by those dark dreams last night; did you sleep well?_/

/_Like a log,_/ Harry laughed, stretching up before he added, /_I'm going to get a wash and then I'm going to breakfast: would you like to go hunting or come with me?_/

As if to answer him, the snake tightened her hold around his abdomen, Harry stroking her gently as if to symbolise that he'd gotten the point: after a wash, in which Rose shared the warmth of the water, Harry made his way down towards the Great Hall, his mind filled with new life and a sense of purpose. Sure, he was still troubled by Tom's words and his offer, but for now, none of that really mattered: he no longer had to hide the fact that he was a Parseltongue or fear the fact that this was a power from Tom because, in a nutshell, it wasn't.

He, Harry James Potter, supposed Golden Boy of Gryffindor, was in all sense of the term, the Heir of Salazar Slytherin and, though he'd been surprised about it at first, Harry realised that he just didn't care.

Because it was Sunday, Harry knew that he had all day to find a way to speak with his targeted rival and change things from here on in: why should he fear repercussions from the school or his so-called friends when they'd made their allegiances clear?

No, he would speak to his soon-to-be-former rival very soon; however, as he made his way into the Great Hall, his lively mood vanished as he saw the two traitors that dared to take advantage of his friendship both sat at the Gryffindor Table, an obvious spot set between them that was reserved for Harry. Rather than take the bait, however, Harry chose another path: making his way down the table, he looked to another of his fellow fifth years before he asked, "Neville: is anyone sitting here?"

"Um…no, Harry," Neville Longbottom replied, slightly shocked that Harry seemed to exile the other members of the infamous Golden Trio, "But…don't you usually sit with Ron and Hermione at meals and…well, almost every lesson?"

"Let's just say that I've had my eyes opened, Neville," Harry told him, helping himself to a balanced amount of food for his breakfast, Neville offering him a jug of fresh orange to drink. Accepting the help, Harry then turned and added, "By the way, Seamus: I know I don't deserve it, but I wanted to apologise for what I said before…you know, about how stupid you were. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Blimey," Seamus laughed, looking then to Harry's hands where the marks of Umbridge's detentions were still as clear as day, "She must have really done a number on you, eh, Harry?"

"More than you know," Harry answered, though he ignored the looks of shock at the scars on the back of his hand; instead, he told Seamus, "I'm not going to spread rumours, but I'm not going to be some poster boy either: there's something coming and, while it may not be…him, it will bring a change to Hogwarts."

"If you say so," Seamus remarked, looking up from his bacon as he added, "Oh…and apology accepted, Harry: Gryffindors should stick together and I feel like an idiot for standing against you."

That one reminder about Harry's isolation seemed to take all of Harry's happiness and, rather than reply to it, he turned to Neville before he asked, "So Neville, what are you planning to do with your Sunday?"

"Professor Sprout wants me to do some extra-curricular experiments for my Herbology OWL," Neville explained, rather stunned that someone was actually interested in his opinions, "And then…I don't know, I'll just take a wander; how about you, Harry?"

Glancing past Neville towards the Slytherin Table, Harry cleared his throat before he answered him, "I have my own plans in mind, but…" he looked back to Neville as he continued, "If you want, I can meet you in the library this afternoon: maybe help with your Potions homework; after all, a bright mind like yours shouldn't be wasted on the idiots that choose to put you down." He actually glanced around the table as he said this, a few of the Gryffindors actually stunned at their Golden Boy's choice in words.

However, as he saw the looks, Harry smiled as he thought to himself, 'Whatever my choice in two weeks, I won't ever be their Golden Boy; they can look up at me and beg for my help, but I'll just…say…NO!'

_**BrokenStrings**_

After breakfast, Harry dispersed from the rest of the Gryffindors and, when he was sure that he was alone, he drew out the Marauder's Map before, tapping it once, he recited, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

As was the norm for the map, the spider-web-like ink patterns started to form on the parchment, Harry looking through each section of the map very carefully: he saw that his so-called friends had gone to the library, possibly in a hope of cornering him there when he met with Neville. Similarly, said Gryffindor was indeed in the greenhouses with Professor Sprout and, as Harry checked each part of the map, he finally found who he was looking for…out in the clock tower courtyard.

As he cleared the map's images with a whisper of _Mischief Managed_, Harry thought he heard a familiar voice whisper through his mind, '_Good luck, Harry._'

He felt like he was going to need it…

_**BrokenStrings**_

When Harry made his way out to the courtyard, he was surprised to notice that Malfoy, the source of his searching, was alone instead of being surrounded by his usual gang of cronies and followers. However, to Harry, it just made things easier for them to talk; stepping up behind the Slytherin, Harry cleared his throat before he remarked, "Hello there, Malfoy: got a minute?"

"Sod off, Potter," Malfoy replied, his voice sounding like it was edged by a feeling of fear or tear-filled remorse for something, which would be a first for Draco Malfoy. "I don't want to talk with a Gryffindor nobody like you."

"Well that's just too bad," Harry reasoned, not moving from his place as he explained, "Because I would like to talk about a little…proposition that could change everything from here on in. But I guess you're too far in the _Dark_ to discuss something with a future _Lord_ of a family like mine: ah well, maybe I should talk about this with someone else…maybe a Muggleborn, or should that be…" here, he leaned in close to Draco and, lowering his voice to a point that the blonde-haired snake would be the only one to hear him, he added, "…Mud…blood?"

Malfoy wanted to make a retort, but, being a natural Slytherin, he used his mind to recognise the two words that Harry had put emphasis on: _Dark Lord_; Draco knew that he was back and that his Father was summoned every now and again. In fact, talk had been shared between them of Draco joining the ranks with an honorary post when he turned sixteen, but Draco's mind was on his own succession and, right now, it seemed that there was something important that Potter, of all people, wanted to discuss with him.

'Besides,' Draco thought to himself, 'Potter would _never_ willingly spout off the Mudblood comment if his reason wasn't important enough: he didn't even shudder either; what's happened here?'

Lifting himself from his somewhat crouched position, as he'd been huddled on the edge of the central fountain, Malfoy looked to Harry's emerald eyes as he asked, "All right: what do you want to talk about, Potter?"

"An offer," Harry told him, nodding towards the school as he added, "But not here: walk with me, Malfoy; I promise you won't regret it."

"Fine," Malfoy sighed, walking beside Harry as they moved through the main doors and, to Malfoy's surprise, down towards the dungeons and towards a private area of the corridor. "What's this about, Potter? What sort of trick are you pulling now?"

"No trick," Harry replied, stopping in front of what seemed to be a blank area of the wall: it was a secret passage that he had seen on the map while looking for Malfoy, "Just somewhere private that two…peers can talk about whatever they want to in secret: hang on."

Reaching up to the wall, Harry pressed his finger into the centre of the third brick from the top before he pulled his finger downwards on a diagonal, forming an arrowhead with an almost tick-shaped end on either side. As he removed his fingers, Harry stepped back as the wall shuddered before it opened inwards, admitting them entrance to the passage; stepping in, Harry turned and asked, "Coming, Malfoy?"

"If this is a trick," Malfoy growled, "I'll have you back with Umbridge before you can say Avada Kedavra."

"Now Malfoy," Harry sighed, lifting one of his hands to the Silver Prince of Slytherin, "I must not tell lies: I told you that you wouldn't regret this and I meant it."

When Malfoy seemed to realise that Harry did indeed mean business, he followed the Gryffindor inside, Harry closing the passage before he lit their area with Lumos, his eyes reflected in the glowing light; now that they were alone, Harry began to speak, "Do you remember back when we first started this little rivalry of ours? Back when you told me that you could help me find out that some families and some people are better than others? Well, I think that time has come, so, in a nutshell, I wanted to know if that offer was still open?"

Malfoy appeared dumbstruck, though he wasn't an idiot, "And what do Weasel-bee and Granger think of this little offer?"

The magic in Harry's light seemed to waver suddenly, the voice of the Boy-Who-Lived actually growing cold as he hissed, "What makes you think I give a damn about what they think, Malfoy? I no longer think of them as real friends or people I can rely on: they chose to add to the number that have left me in the dark…" he seemed to emphasise the point by extinguishing his wand, his voice echoing in the passage as he added, "But thanks to a certain benefactor, I've seen that I don't have to be in the dark; I don't have to fear my power and I don't have to be alone. So…_Lumos,_" he lit his wand again and, lifting it to Malfoy, he added, "Yes or no, Malfoy: will you help me find the _real_ friends that I can trust and become what I should have been from the start…or not?"

Malfoy was actually confused, "What do you mean by what you should have been from the start?"

"Well," Harry explained, "I was young, naïve and easy to follow the crowd; so, when that blood-traitor Gryffindor Prefect chose to start running his mouth about the darkness and bad reputation of Salazar Slytherin's house, it was obvious that someone who was raised by Muggles would listen. Then a certain Slytherin Prefect, namely you, comes in and acts like the high and mighty while giving the younger me the impression that I was to be nothing more than a lackey. So, naturally I'm going to be drawn away from Slytherin and away from those possible friends: in fact, it's because of your arrogance and the bad reputation that I pleaded with the hat not to put me in Slytherin. Which was a mistake; I see that now: it said that I could have been great and Slytherin would have helped me, but no: I begged and pleaded and I was an _idiot!_"

Again, the magic powering Harry's light wavered before it popped out of existence with a sound like a firecracker exploding, Draco actually jumping with a start as he seemed to realise what Harry was saying. With a half-amused laugh, he explained, "Potter…Harry, I know I was arrogant, but that's how I was raised to be: number one; leader of the pack. However, you're Harry Potter: you survived living with those unworthy freaks _and_ had the nerve to stand up to me when I challenged you time and time again; believe it or not, I was set to offer you a second chance, but then you went to Gryffindor and I lost myself in the rivalry between Godric and Salazar's Houses. What I'm trying to say is…I wouldn't have treated you as a lackey; I would have stood there and helped you become leader of the pack and when that happened, I hoped that I would be there to stand proudly while you looked at me and actually thanked me for doing this. You know, I never really hated you: I only did so because Weasel-bee always chose to open his mouth and ruin everything; so, in answer to your question…yes."

Harry raised an eyebrow in confusion, though he couldn't be seen until Draco lit his wand and, keeping it held in his hand, he offered his other hand, "The offer was, is and forever will remain open: so, what was it I said? Oh yes…you'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter: you wouldn't want to go making friends with the wrong sort; I can help you there."

Looking to the offered hand, Harry actually imagined that he was that naïve younger self of him again, but this time, rather than make a remark about knowing the right sort, he looked into Malfoy's grey eyes before he answered, "I don't bow to anyone and I'm nobody's lackey…but, you're right there, Malfoy: it would be nice to know the right sort of friends; think we can arrange a compromise?"

"Of course," Draco replied, keeping his hand there, "Let me help you and I will: but I won't put you beneath me, you'll rise up and take the mantle of Silver Prince, leader of the pack: number one in the pecking order around here. _That's_ what I want to help you with, Harry Potter, so what do you say? Yes or no?"

"Yes," Harry replied, shaking Malfoy's hand as he added, "Oh, and if you wouldn't mind, I let my friends call me Harry: how about you?"

"Draco," answered the Slytherin, "Or Drake: I think this is the start of a long and beneficial friendship…for both sides."

"I think so too," Harry nodded, removing his hand from Draco as he added, "Now, I bet your next question is how do I know that you have ties with the Dark Lord?"

"Actually," Draco laughed, "It's why you of all people refer to him as the Dark Lord when his followers are the only ones that call him that?"

'_If you want to tell him, Harry,_' Tom's voice whispered, surprising Harry for a moment, but he didn't show it, '_Then do so: an advocate in my circle would help you…whether you say yes or no yourself._'

"Well," Harry answered, turning and, lighting his own wand, he added, "Let's find out where this leads and we can talk more in comfort."

_**BrokenStrings**_

Much to the surprise of the two new allies, or friends if that was what Harry could think of them as, the passage actually led to a makeshift clubhouse: it was filled with large bean-bags, a roaring ornate fireplace that was decorated with Slytherin symbols and a medium-sized case that was kept for books and such. There was also a storage area and cooler box that could be used for drinks and snacks when they were down here as well as a closet that held an array of sleeping bags for overnight studies or parties or any real reason.

"Wow," Draco whispered when they'd finished exploring, "I doubt that even my Father knew of this place: who do you suppose made it?"

"Slytherins that didn't want to be found," Harry had answered, though he'd been curious about it himself, "Maybe those who explored the Dark Arts and didn't want others knowing about it…heh, it'd be funny if it was the Dark Lord when he was a teenager."

"Getting to that," Draco then asked, settling down onto one of the beanbags while Harry took a rather well-designed high-backed chair, the top of the chair bearing two dragon-like wings that spread out from the chair, coming to a rest on the arms, almost representing a throne. "Why _do_ you call him the Dark Lord?"

With a sigh, Harry proceeded to tell Draco about his meeting with the Dark Lord and about what he'd learned: he also included the part about the bond and, by the time he was done, the Malfoy Heir looked thunderstruck while Harry added, "You _can't_ tell anyone about this, Draco: he's giving me time to consider his offer, but I know that if I don't accept it, I can ask him to leave me alone and he will. He can't hurt me because of the bond, but I don't believe for one second that means that he won't."

'_Thanks for the vote of confidence,_' Tom remarked, an amused edge to his voice as he added, '_Though you are right, Harry: it is my old hangout when me and the circle were at Hogwarts, so feel free to tell Draco that his Father knew of it._'

"Your Dad did know of this place," Harry then added while Draco swallowed hard; with a smirk, he added, "I forgot to mention that the bond now means that…the Dark Lord and I are bonded through a mental link. I didn't think about this because I wish to jump sides, or not yet anyway: I did it because I don't want to be alone anymore. My so-called friends have turned their backs on me; Hogwarts hates me and there's no-one out there that I can talk to about any of this." His voice had been growing steadily louder as he'd explained the situation, though by the time he'd finished, his voice was also edged by anger.

"I've got no-one left and that's part of the reason I offered my hand again, Draco: I've decided that it's time I stop pretending that I'm the perfect Light student: I'm Salazar's Heir; I speak Parseltongue; I can throw off the Imperious _and_ I've duelled and battled Lord Voldemort more times than any adult in this school…and I'm still here! Why should I hide behind the Gryffindor image when it's my Slytherin side that I should embrace; that's the reason I asked about the offer: _that_, Draco, is what I want your help with: releasing the snake from within the lion."

"And I will help you, Harry," Draco told him, slightly stunned at the level of rage within the Gryffindor, "I'll get the others to help as well: from now on, you'll be safe with us, with Slytherins and I don't give a shit what anyone says about that, not even Severus. This order and advice comes from the top and, like it or not, Severus serves him as much as we will one day. You didn't have to offer me your hand, but you did and I thank you for trusting me: so yes, Harry, I will help you and, no matter what, and I hope _he's_ listening, but no matter what, I'll stand with you: me: I'll be on your side, Harry."

"Thanks Draco," Harry sighed, heaving a deep breath before he put his hand on his heart as he added, "Do you know what? That actually felt good to let all that emotion go like that: sorry that you had to be my vent."

"What are friends for?" asked Draco, both boys laughing while Draco then added, "You know? You actually look good and comfortable sat in that throne like that."

"The strange thing is," Harry added, laughing to himself as he looked to Draco with his best Voldemort-glare impersonation, "I am."

**Chapter 2 and a friendship is born between both two Gryffindors as well as a new friendship and alliance between a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, but will this affect Harry's decision?**

**Also, will Harry learn any new strengths or gifts from the bond and what will happen as he gets stronger?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: As Halloween draws closer, Harry has a few choice words for his quote-unquote friends when there's conflicts over his new lodgings, but a surprising form of back-up gives Harry a new, permanent place in the Pit: plus, Halloween and Tom keeps his word, but what is Harry's choice?**

**Please Read and Review…**


	4. Where I Belong

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: Well, Storm: you may be surprised by what's to come;**

**Harryhermionealways: Unfortunately, the questions and encounters are about to take a dark turn for our young hero;**

"_And I will help you, Harry," Draco told him, slightly stunned at the level of rage within the Gryffindor, "I'll get the others to help as well: from now on, you'll be safe with us, with Slytherins and I don't give a shit what anyone says about that, not even Severus. This order and advice comes from the top and, like it or not, Severus serves him as much as we will one day. You didn't have to offer me your hand, but you did and I thank you for trusting me: so yes, Harry, I will help you and, no matter what, and I hope he's listening, but no matter what, I'll stand with you: me: I'll be on your side, Harry."_

"_Thanks Draco," Harry sighed, heaving a deep breath before he put his hand on his heart as he added, "Do you know what? That actually felt good to let all that emotion go like that: sorry that you had to be my vent."_

"_What are friends for?" asked Draco, both boys laughing while Draco then added, "You know? You actually look good and comfortable sat in that throne like that."_

"_The strange thing is," Harry added, laughing to himself as he looked to Draco with his best Voldemort-glare impersonation, "I am."_

Chapter 3: Where I Belong

To say that the Slytherins were surprised when they saw Harry Potter _willingly_ walk into their dorm would be an understatement: in fact, if it wasn't for the fact that they also saw him laughing and talking with none other than the Ice Prince, Draco Malfoy, there would have been a few choice words sent in his direction. The two simply walked in where Draco helped Harry through the crowd and sat him down, the Malfoy Heir then rising before he turned to the assembled snakes and spoke like the Prefect he was, "I know that it's a strange event, seeing a Gryffindor in our dorm; however, due to recent problems, I have offered Harry here a place among us. It may surprise some of you to know that he was originally meant to be a Slytherin, so I hope that any transgressions between us can be left outside. Otherwise, I want each of you, no matter the year, bloodline or beliefs about him, I want each of you to show him the same respect you show each other and show towards Professor Snape and I: like he belongs here."

Then, to everyone's continued surprise, Harry actually spoke with a calm air as he remarked, "Thank you, Draco: it's nice to know that I can actually have a friend who'll watch my back and _not_ my prestige or reputation."

Nothing more was said that day; indeed, nothing more was said in Harry's direction from then on…

At least, not while Harry was around…

_**BrokenStrings**_

"Harry's WHERE?"

As the Slytherins made their way towards the Great Hall the next morning, they were annoyed and curious to hear the loud mouth of the Weasley Prefect so early in the morning. In the midst of them, Draco on one side and the fifth-year Tracey Davis on his other side, Harry cringed before he muttered, "Anyone know a good silencing spell?"

That comment alone earned him a few sniggers from his new dorm-mates: as they continued onwards, however, Harry heard it again, this time directed at him, "Harry, mate: what the bloody hell do you think you're doing with these Death Eaters? You're a Gryffindor."

"Am I really, Weasley?" asked Harry, the Slytherins actually parting like the Red Sea as Harry stepped forwards: this was thanks to Draco's warning about them treating Harry as they would Draco and that partially involved treating him like the next Prince of Slytherin. As the two friends came face-to-face, Harry added, "Because the last time I checked, there wasn't a single person who willingly stood with me in Gryffindor: what was it they said, Drake?"

"Something about the focus being turned away from Weasley here being on the team," Draco answered, the friendship between the two obvious as he then explained, "And also something about willingly causing trouble with Professor Umbridge so that his friends are soon treated like filth despite being Prefects."

"Uh-huh," Harry added, now stepping clear of the crowd as he added, "And apparently you only got that badge to be the loyal little spies and try to face me and investigate my trouble-making, war-mongering ways: now, pardon me for saying it, but if that's meant to be a friend, then I must have gone to some sort of bizarro-world because it's certainly not _my_ definition of friend."

"Or ours, Harry," added Tracey: she was a dark-haired girl with almost silvery-coloured eyes and a cheerful personality; like Granger to Gryffindor, Davis was one of the _brainy sort _in Slytherin, but unlike Granger, she didn't need everyone to know it. That was why Harry liked her when they'd talked about their tasks the previous night; she even knew of a salve that she said Harry could help with to speed up the clearance of the scars on his hands.

"They've confounded you, haven't they, Harry?" asked Ron with a laugh, earning a sigh from some of the Slytherins while Harry suddenly adopted a look of rage and disgust: seriously, was everything that was against this traitor's way of life down to the Dark Arts?

"Nope," Harry replied, now lifting said hand as he added, "And remember, Ron: I must not tell lies and I'm not; as for the Death Eater comment, I think I'll leave those repercussions to the Prefect: Draco, I'll meet you in the Hall."

"Right, Harry," Draco replied, the Slytherins moving with their new dorm-mate into the Great Hall; behind him, Harry heard Draco inform Weasley, "So, I think that's twenty points from Gryffindor for insulting another House and another five for disrupting a morning meal; be thankful I don't speak to McGonagall about this."

As Harry entered the Great Hall, flanked by the Slytherins, the silence in the air was so thick that you'd need Godric's Sword to cut through the atmosphere; as Tracey led Harry to their table, she was stopped by Snape's voice, "Potter, detention with Professor Umbridge for wrongfully sitting in the hall and disrupting another House."

"Actually Professor Snape," Draco informed him as he walked in with a red-faced Weasley behind him, "I invited Harry to sit with us at breakfast because of recent revelations concerning his dorm-mates: it's also for that reason that I had him stay in our dorm last night. As a Prefect, I knew it was my duty to inform you, but I had the duty to my House-mates to see to as well."

"Then take ten points to Slytherin for using some initiative and quick-decisions, Mr Malfoy," Professor Umbridge remarked, meeting Harry's eyes as she did so, "I daresay that young Mr Potter is quite at home among those who don't encourage his remarks and his lies, wouldn't you say, Mr Potter?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," Harry replied, his tone as formal and as calm as their somewhat estranged Professor had wanted in her lesson; when Snape was left fuming, Harry nodded a thanks to Draco before he took his seat with the Slytherins.

As he went to pick at his breakfast, his appetite not really all-there after everything that had happened in the short space of one morning, Harry decided to try something: reaching for his magic, Harry let his mind concentrate on the image of one Tom Riddle as he had seen him just two days ago. As he did so, Harry let his thoughts whisper to the ether, 'T…Tom: Voldemort, can you hear _this_?'

'_Loud and clear, Harry,_' Tom's slick voice answered, a note of amusement in his voice as he added, '_Well done for getting the Malfoy Heir on your side as well as some earned respect from the Slytherins: you're doing well, little snake. Now, how can I help?_'

'_I know you're angry,_' Harry explained, the mind-link between him and the Dark Lord now open to their conversations, '_About my scars at the hands of…of Professor Umbridge, but can I ask you something?_'

'_What?_' asked Tom, a note of clenched-teeth-speech in the one word.

'_Don't do anything to punish her for it yet,_' Harry explained, his voice filled with a tone of slyness that the Dark Lord heard immediately, '_If…if I'm going to release my inner Slytherin, then I was considering, last night, I was thinking about using Umbridge's trust for the Slytherins to bring a little…fun to Hogwarts._'

'_Oh?_' asked Tom, the note of clenched-teeth now turned into a note of amusement, '_Do tell, little one: I told you that I wouldn't interfere and, while I see you are comfortable with your place among the snakes, I would like to know more: how else can I help you become what you were born to be?_'

'_One step at a time, Tom,_' Harry told him, '_I still have twelve days to make my decision: however, Umbridge stood up for me this morning and she told me herself that she doesn't wish to see me in detention. So, what if…what if I used that to bring down those who thought they could break me? Then, when my plan was successful, then, Tom, you can punish her: just because I'm putting her in my plan doesn't mean I forgive her for helping them break me._'

'_And there's the little snake that I want to see become whole again,_' Tom laughed, Harry trying not to feel a sense of embarrassment at the praise; there was a mental sigh before the Dark Lord continued, '_All right, Harry: I told you that I would give you anything you wanted and you clearly want this; if you need help with your plan, just ask. In the meantime, enjoy Slytherin and, when we meet in twelve days, I hope to see a changed young man before me._'

'_Thank you…Lord Voldemort,_' Harry replied, his voice laced with Slytherin coldness as he added, '_Don't look into that._'

_**BrokenStrings**_

After a day of lessons, which included his core subjects now being taken with the Slytherins at the request of Professor Umbridge, Harry and Draco pretended to side-track themselves towards the Common Room, before Harry, checking the coast was clear, opened the passage towards the hangout, both boys going down to the room. Once they were comfortable, which involved Draco suggesting Harry sit in the _throne_ once more, the Malfoy Heir asked, "So…what did he want?"

"Huh?" asked Harry; he'd wanted to come down here to get used to the changes in his life, but Draco clearly wanted to talk.

"You looked pretty distant earlier at breakfast," Draco explained, nodding to Harry as he continued, "He spoke with you while we were eating, didn't he?"

"Actually," Harry explained, settling into the large chair with the same comfort he'd felt the day before, "I was the one to open the bond and speak with him: before I closed it, the Dark Lord explained to me that I was in charge of it and, because he's promised not to interfere, he said that only I can open the bond over the next twelve days. By the way," he added, looking now to Draco, "How…how'd I do? With treating that traitor like I did and defending our honour?"

"You acted as though you've been one of us all this time," Draco explained, smiling proudly as he told Harry, "After you left and I took points from Weasley, he looked like he'd seen a ghost and also looked embarrassed that his secret had been laid bare. Keep up that mask, Harry and, sooner or later, you're not going to need it: especially now that Professor Umbridge has allowed you to continue staying with us in the dorm. Shame that Severus hates you with a vengeance, but I guess every bit of good news needs its bad to even things out."

"Well," Harry sighed, closing his eyes as he relaxed in his chair, "If I choose to stand with Tom and the true ways of the Dark, I'll be sure to deal with that hatred and get some real answers. Speaking of vendettas against me: how do you think your Father will take this?"

"Well I'll answer that like this," Draco replied, standing from his chair and, moving to the cooler, retrieving two bottles of cold Butterbeer for them both: after their chat, Harry had gotten some help in the form of Dobby and asked him to keep the hangout stocked up with things they would need. In return for this, Harry promised his old friend that he would bond with him at the end of the year, much to Draco's surprise as the Malfoy Heir recognised the former crazy-minded elf.

Passing one of the bottles to Harry, Draco cracked his open before he explained, "Father is the Dark Lord's right-hand man and you, Harry, are the single most important person in his life: when it comes down to it, Father won't be able to say a bad word against you because he'll find himself on the receiving end of a Cruciatus. It's partially for that reason that I gave you _my_ allegiance: if you choose his side, then I'll be the first to kneel before you and await your orders, but if you don't, then I will still be one of the few that is ready, willing and able to be there for you."

Harry thanked him for his loyalty, before he allowed himself to close his eyes and, just by resting his head on the cold headboard of the chair, he let his mind wander to one question: what stopped him from accepting Tom's offer?

What actually worried Harry was one fact:

He couldn't think of anything!

_**BrokenStrings**_

With help from the Slytherins and extra tuition from Draco, Harry was soon able to rebuild himself, his wounds healing and his mind clearing as the days to Halloween Night counted down. One lesson that he began to excel in was Potions, much to the chagrin of the Gryffindors, especially when Professor Snape started awarding Harry points instead of taking them away.

Two days before Halloween night, Harry decided to return to Gryffindor Tower for his possessions, his mind now only troubled by the meeting in two days' time: he still hadn't made his mind up about Tom and time was not on his side. Giving the password to Gryffindor Tower, Harry entered to a silence that would have made a funeral look like a real party: eyes watched him and whispers were shared in near-silent voices all throughout the room: as he entered the dorm, Harry then saw something that brought out his new side.

His trunk had been slashed by magical means, his bedclothes torn and scattered over the Gryffindor four-poster, the word TRAITOR branded into the headboard and, lying on the pillow were the remains of Harry's Firebolt, his present from Sirius. Behind Harry, Neville, who had entered shortly after him, stood stock-still before he muttered, "Harry, it's all right: come on; I'll take you down…"

"My journal? My Father's Cloak?" asked Harry, his voice like ice as he spoke, "Where are they?"

"I…I don't know," Neville stammered; he didn't like where this was going, "I don't…I don't know who c-c-could have done this."

"I do," Harry hissed coldly, "Find that red-headed little shit and bring him to me."

"Harry…"

"GO!"

His one-word command seemed emphasised by a blast of magic that ripped through two of the posts on Harry's former bed; hearing the ferocity in his friend's voice, Neville practically ran from his side, leaving Harry to draw his wand before he commanded, "_Accio Invisibility Cloak._"

Shards of silver fabric flew from under the bed, Harry clutching at the pieces with an even greater hatred as he commanded, "_Accio photo album!_"

If the cloak was bad enough, the journal was worse: loose pages and confetti that was made from magical photo paper flew from all around the room, Harry's eyes now holding back tears of loss and anger as he held the last remains of his parents' memories. This wasn't vengeance by the perpetrator: it was _personal: _someone had intentionally done this and left Harry's things in an even greater mess than his life already was.

'_Harry,_' Tom whispered to him, '_It's all right little one: you are stronger than you think: let me help you repair it._'

'_It won't be the same,_' Harry snarled mentally, '_They did this to me to break me again: I've lost them, Tom: my parents, my memories, my heart; I've lost them all._'

'_Those memories can never be taken from your mind,_' Tom explained, his voice trying to reach through Harry as though he were trying to comfort the boy, '_As long as your heart beats and your mind is your own, they will never take your memories from you: when someone you love becomes a memory; that memory becomes a treasure._'

'_And they've stolen that treasure from me,_' Harry hissed, his eyes now filled with a glow that was frighteningly similar to the Avada Kedavra, '_They took _everything!'

Suddenly, Harry's magic reacted to his anger and, before Harry could say another word, he gasped as he saw his bed and the signs of his former friend's treachery literally go up in flames, Harry's body crackling with raw magical power that seemed to fill the room with the same heat.

At the same time, Neville returned, carrying a kicking and screaming Ronald Weasley by his legs as he dropped him in front of Harry, "As ordered, Harry: the one you want."

"Let me go, Squib," Ron snapped, "How dare you lay your hands on your betters: and what are _you_ doing here, snake? Enjoy our little present did you? Shame the owl wasn't here: I could have fed her to Hagrid's dog and…"

Harry's eyes turned to Ron and the git was silenced when he saw the look of pure, unadulterated, barely-restrained rage that was held within the eyes of the young wizard: turning away from the blaze that still burned behind him, Harry scowled before he asked one question, "Why?"

"You betrayed us," Ron snapped, "Betrayed me and for _what?_ Knowledge: companionship; is that why you sold your soul to those Death Eater wannabes? Well, if you wouldn't respect your parents' memories, then you would lose them."

"Thank you…Mr Weasley," a slick voice hissed, Harry looking past Neville where, much to his surprise, he saw Professor Snape, Professor Umbridge and Professor McGonagall all standing in the doorway, the lesser dousing Harry's fires with a quick jet of water from his wand, "I think we can take that as a confession."

"I would have to agree with Professor Snape," McGonagall added, "I know that my House is upset with Mr Potter for his sanctuary with the Slytherins, but this level of sabotage: Mr Weasley, can you even comprehend how unique that cloak and that diary was?"

"They can be replaced," Ron spat, "Stupid traitor deserves it: lording it up over the rest of us like he's someone special because he's the bloody Boy-Who-Lived; even the toad doesn't torment him anymore."

"And do you know why, Mr Weasley?" asked Professor Umbridge, her voice filled with the same hatred as the others in the room, "It is because Mr Potter has seen the error of his ways and is trying harder in his lessons thanks to actual support; yes from Slytherin, but I have never seen such sportsmanship from a House like what he has from them."

"And for your information," added Professor McGonagall, "It does not matter that the items can be replaced: it is the memory of those items that can never be replaced; the cloak belonged to twelve generations of Potters and the diary was unique because it was a gift and it allowed young Mr Potter a chance to see his parents' memories when he couldn't see them anymore."

"For all the good they did," Ron hissed, not really getting the message, "I bet that whore Mudblood…"

"_SILENCIO! GLACIUS!_"

The two spells came so quickly that none of the Professors had a chance to react; however, the next thing they knew, there was a silenced, frozen from the waist down Ron Weasley lying before them, his hands and face turning a shade of blue with the cold. With his wand hovering over Ron, Harry snarled coldly, "You have…destroyed…everything, Weasley: give me one…good…reason I shouldn't destroy _you_."

"Because you're better than him," Professor Snape told Harry, Neville slightly surprised at the assistance from the Potions Master, "We will deal with this, Mr Potter and, though I despised the man, I will see to it that all your possessions are replaced and…"

"If I need your help," Harry snarled, now meeting the eyes of the Head of Slytherin, "I'll ask for it: and, for the record _Snivellus_, I will _never_ ask for your help, so shut your mouth! Money isn't everything: in fact, I would trade my own soul for the chance to see them alive and standing beside me once more, but it's assholes like _him_ that don't see that. Screw your offers and screw any form of repayment…because I'm done…_with all of you!_"

With that, he fled from the Common Room and, running down the stairs and out the front door, Harry raced straight for the exit of the grounds, his mind screaming to the one person that he could count on to help him; '_Tom: I'm not going to wait: come and get me._'

'_I'm waiting for you, my little one._'

_**BrokenStrings**_

Halloween morning;

For anyone else, it would be a time for new beginnings, parties and banquets to celebrate the day's ancient name of Samhain; however, for the Slytherins, there was no real cause for celebration and, out of all of them, it was Draco Malfoy that was worried the most.

Harry Potter had run away from Hogwarts, though when the Slytherins had learned why that reason was, it had only been through the words of their Head of House that stopped them bringing down the seven circles of hell on the lions. In the twelve days that he'd been one of their lot, the Slytherins had come to respect Harry Potter and see him in a new light: each one of them saw him as the future for their House and, had he but asked, they would have welcomed him as a permanent member of their House.

Now, however, because of jealousy, spite and a personal vendetta that was more like the cowardly act of a three-year-old, Harry was gone and, out of them all, it was Draco that missed the company of his friend. He missed the talks in the hangout and Harry's cold demeanour rearing its head; he missed the look of joy in the boy's eyes when he was put to work in his classes: hell, he'd even been happy in Potions and that was a big change from the Harry that Draco had known.

Most of all, though, Draco missed one thing that he didn't realise until now, but he liked seeing on Harry's face: he missed his smile. It was a smile that told Draco everything was all right and, though Draco had sworn that he would stand by Harry's side, it was a smile that, somewhere deep in his heart, Draco had wanted to take hold of and treasure it forever.

But now though, the smile, the smile belonging to Harry, his Harry, was gone and…wait;

'When did I start thinking of him as _my_ Harry?' wondered Draco as he sat in front of the fireplace in the Slytherin Common Room; his grey eyes showed the worry that he was feeling, but his worry was now shadowed by doubt. 'I know we're friends, but…do I think of him as more? I know I don't want him unhappy, but to think of him as _mine_: could…would he let me? Does…does he think of me as the same? Is that why he trusts me so much?'

Draco had never told anyone, not even his parents that he had a preference towards the company of other males rather than what some would call a normal male/female relationship: but when had that sort of liking become drawn to the raven-haired boy with the Avada Kedavra eyes?

"Draco?"

'Saved by the bell,' thought Draco, looking up to his godfather, though the look of interest turned into one of concern when he saw the trembling hands of the Potions Master, a sign of post-Cruciatus exposure.

"What is it, Uncle Sev?" he asked, his voice calm as he looked to Severus Snape.

"It's…_him_," Severus explained, "He wishes you to come to his home…today: specifically…now!"

Somehow, Draco knew that made sense: it also answered his unasked question about Harry's location: after all, when a Sire Bond is triggered, it falls to the Sire to help keep his charge in the right frame of mind.

So, where else would Harry go?

"All right," Draco sighed, rising from his chair and, adopting a look of defeat, he added, "I guess…it was inevitable."

_**BrokenStrings**_

The grandeur of Riddle Manor wasn't lost on Draco when Severus activated a Portkey that took them from Hogwarts to the home of the Dark Lord: with its well-kept gardens and high-mounted station overlooking the graveyard, it provided a mix of light and dark that blended perfectly with one another. In some ways, it reminded Draco of the old stories of the solstice: halfway out of the dark; this house matched that description perfectly.

Passing through the door, Draco had to blink twice when he found himself looking at a home that would befit someone of high station, though it was decorated with brightness and finesse rather than the intimidating presence that he'd heard so much about. The key point of the décor was a water fountain that was crafted from solid diamond in the centre of the entrance hall: it held a statue of a man, a dragon and a coiled Basilisk, the heads of the dragon and serpent acting as jets for the water.

"Amazing," Draco whispered, his voice catching in his throat as he realised he'd spoken.

"Thank you, Draco Malfoy," a soft voice replied, drawing Severus and Draco away from the majesty of the house and to a door where a young man that looked to be in his early thirties was leaning casually against the doorframe, his arms folded as he looked to them, "And thank you for bringing him here, Severus: I daresay that my little snake is happy now."

"Indeed, my Lord," Severus replied, Draco now gulping as he stepped forwards and bowed before the human visage of Lord Voldemort, more commonly known as Tom Riddle.

"My Lord," Draco told him, his voice wavering slightly as he explained, "I am honoured to be a guest in your home: but, regrettably, I must ask my Lord's forgiveness for abandoning that which is precious to him."

"You don't have to do that, Draco," a familiar voice told him, Draco looking up now and, as the door to the room opened, the Malfoy Heir actually felt warmth settle into him as he saw those familiar Avada-Kedavra-green eyes staring back at him, the owner of those eyes looking healthy as a horse. "Tom knows it wasn't your fault: oh, and welcome back, Severus."

"Harry," Severus remarked, Draco noticing a now final lack of hostility between the two before Harry rose and, moving to Draco, he took the boy's arm and began to lead him away.

"Come on Draco: let me show you around."

Draco let himself be taken away by Harry; however, once they were away from the adults, Draco noticing a look of amusement on the Dark Lord's face as he disappeared from view, Harry stopped and, turning to Draco, told him, "Thanks for coming: I…I needed to see you."

"That's okay, Harry," Draco told him, his eyes aware of an almost haunting glow around his young friend, "We missed you in Slytherin: Weasley's been suspended for a month and his family has to pay for the costs of a new Firebolt and a new diary…but…the Cloak."

"It's okay," Harry told him, wiping his own eyes as he explained, "Shit happens: I was wrong to run away and I should have come to you and talked; you said you'd be there and…"

"Don't worry," Draco told him, his hand reaching up to brush the tears away from Harry's eyes, "It's going to be all right now: from the looks of things, I'd say you've made your choice."

"This is where I belong," Harry told him, his hand now surprisingly linked with Draco as he explained, "With Tom in the comforts of real power, but…more importantly…I belong…with…with one I can be myself around; one I…I…"

"It's all right," Draco told him, lifting his hand and, to Harry's surprise, he kissed the back of Harry's hand before using his free hand to soothingly massage the skin of Harry's knuckles, "You don't have to say it…not when I feel it too, Harry."

"You do?" asked Harry, looking into the grey eyes of the Ice Prince of Slytherin.

"I do," Draco told him, "You don't have to shut me out anymore; I'll be here for you…always: I belong with you, Harry and, if you want to, then you can belong with me: I promise."

"Draco…" Harry whispered, but he was silenced by Draco pressing a finger to his lips, a smile coming from the blonde Slytherin as he shushed Harry.

"I'll never abandon you, my raven," he whispered, before he leaned in close and brushed his lips against Harry's, the motion startling Harry for a moment, but Draco noticed that he didn't fight it, "I'll protect you."

"Dragon," Harry whispered, before he returned the kiss, his eyes closing at the thought of something he'd never felt before now coming true:

Someone was here for him…and would never leave his side.

After a second, Draco parted from Harry before he whispered, "Now why don't you show me around, Harry? I'd like to see your new home."

Harry led the boy by the hand;

Draco didn't fight it…

**Chapter 3 and I should apologise to anyone that thinks I brought out the relationship a little too early; I just wanted a way for Harry to know that he would always have Draco there; now, with time passed and decisions made, can Harry embrace the remainder of his new life and new power?**

**Plus, how will Hogwarts react to the new Harry when he makes his return?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: The Slytherins celebrate the return of their prodigal son and there's another encounter on the horizon in the aftermath of Ron's sick-minded vengeance; plus, it seems that Tom has made a promise to Harry and makes good on it when good news comes Harry's way; also, Harry and Draco talk about their newfound relationship and Draco has a confession to make…**

**Please Read and Review…**


	5. You Are Not Alone

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: Rest assured Storm: this is just the calm before the storm and there's not going to be a mouse-hole for Harry's targets to hide in;**

**T4: Well, things can change with writing styles, my friend: I should know; I feel like the bloody expert half the time: also, I have a little surprise about the damages done;**

**Slashslut: Perhaps, but this is just the beginning;**

**Harryhermionealways: Rest assured that the duo are sticking together – as this chapter should demonstrate – and, when the time comes, there'll be no escape for those who think they could break our dark hero;**

_After a second, Draco parted from Harry before he whispered, "Now why don't you show me around, Harry? I'd like to see your new home."_

_Harry led the boy by the hand;_

_Draco didn't fight it…_

Chapter 4: You Are Not Alone

The October night sky was crisp and cold, but in the garden area surrounding Riddle Manor, five figures stood tall, proud and filled with mixed emotions as they watched a burning pyre that loomed before them, the flames banishing the cold with a renewed warmth that made two of the figures feel better than they'd felt a short time ago. These two were Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, the latter holding tight to his boyfriend as Harry wept tears of loss and memory into the Malfoy Heir's shoulder: the pyre, arranged by another member of their party, Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort, was meant to act as a final farewell to Harry's parents, but Draco could feel it in his raven's shudders: Harry wasn't prepared to say the words.

"It's all right, Harry," Draco whispered, brushing his hand over Harry's hair, "You can say it: I'll be right here; I'll never leave your side."

"I…I know," sobbed Harry, wiping his eyes and, meeting the grey eyes of his close companion, he turned back to the flames before he whispered, "I…I'm sorry; this…this isn't right."

"Why not?" asked Draco, keeping his arm wrapped around Harry in case he fell from exertion or over-excitement, "We're here to say goodbye to two that gave their lives for you and then, when we return to Hogwarts, we've got a revenge plan in mind for that little bastard, Weasley."

"I'll pretend that I didn't hear that," the fourth member of their party, one Severus Snape, remarked, watching the duo as Harry moved from Draco and stopped inches from the flames. Of course, he couldn't blame the boys for wanting revenge, especially with the personal effect that Harry's possessions had held on the young Slytherin-in-Gryffindor's clothing; but at the end of the day, he was still a Head of House.

With his emerald eyes almost glowing in the light of the flames, Harry bent down and, almost kneeling before the pyre as though honouring its meaning, he spoke to the dancing flames, "I did this for you; I know you may hate me because I've sided and become bonded through ancient magic with the one that killed you, but…please try to see that I do this, everything I do, it's for you. I'll never forget you and I'll never stop honouring your memories or what you did for me: but…it's time for me to make my own destiny."

Lowering his head, Harry let his tears roll down his cheeks until he felt them splash on the back of his hands, his body trembling with rage and fury as he continued speaking, "They betrayed me…just like _he_ betrayed you; unlike him, I'll make them pay: this is where I belong; where I'm not alone."

"You're not alone," Draco told Harry, taking his boyfriend's hand and helping him stand, he put his arms around Harry, keeping him close, comfortable and strong-willed, "I'll be right here, Harry."

"Thanks, Drake," Harry sniffed, before he smiled as he felt Draco's lips brush against his cheek, both boys turning away from the flames where, looking to Tom, Harry asked, "Can…can we just let it burn out, Tom?"

"Of course we can," Tom answered, moving to Harry and Draco, his hand now being placed on the dark-haired boy's shoulder before he glanced to Draco as he added, "You care for him, Draco: I like that; don't ever leave his side."

"Wild Hippogriffs couldn't drag me away from him, Lord Voldemort," Draco told the man, before he glanced to the final member of their party, his Father, Lucius Malfoy, who looked both proud and almost relieved. Taking Harry over to Lucius, Draco gulped before he told the man, "I'm sorry that I never told you, Father: I know that the bloodlines must be kept pure, but…I'm just…well, I…I prefer Harry."

"I know you do, Draco," Lucius replied, his eyes on Harry as he added, "I've never seen my son as happy in recent days as when he's with you, Mr Potter: I hope we can put the past behind us now?"

"Of course, Mr Malfoy," Harry replied, before he glanced over his shoulder and, meeting Tom's gaze, he asked, "Can…can Draco and I go now, Tom?"

"You can go to your room if you want, Harry," Tom explained, smiling at the calmness and innocence that had returned to his young ward, "I'll have Severus take you both as far as Hogsmeade tomorrow morning."

Thanking him, Harry left with Draco in tow, Lucius, Severus and the Dark Lord all watching the two leave; moving from his spot, Lucius then asked Severus, "Did…did you ever suspect it, Severus? That Harry Potter of all people was…was gay?"

"No," Severus replied, before he gave an amused chuckle as he added, "Though it would explain a lot; such as why he found it hard asking for a date last year: perhaps he himself began to notice it, but didn't want to say anything. What about Draco? Does that surprise you, Lucius?"

"Not really," Lucius explained, looking over to the Dark Lord as he continued, "Draco was always a male perfectionist: appearance, personality and workload; I daresay that since he and Mr Potter…sorry, Harry have mended their broken bridges, Draco has finally started listening to his heart. He may have even felt it before now: I mean, if I wasn't a happily married man and if I was like them, then I'd probably fall for those eyes myself."

"As would I, Lucius," Tom added, before he gave both of his followers a cold glare as he added, "Those two complete one another: they are happiest when they're together and I can see that Draco is helping to heal Harry's spirit, repairing the broken strings that were caused by his abandonment. This cannot change: no matter what; am I clear?"

"Yes, my Lord," Lucius remarked, already making plans to try and get Harry away from the school for the holidays; if he was happy with Draco, then Lucius began to wonder how he'd enjoy winter at Malfoy Manor…or anywhere as long as Draco was there with him.

_**BrokenStrings**_

Draco sat on Harry's bed within the room that had been given to him by Lord Voldemort, listening to the sounds of the night around them while, in an adjoining bathroom, Harry, his precious raven-haired Harry, was changing for the night. The only reason that Draco was sat and not trying anything was because he knew that acceptance of this relationship between them would take a while; after all, yes they had shared a kiss and Harry now relied on Draco's company for him to be happy. However, Harry had been broken by close friends before and it would take time to mend that which was broken by betrayal.

'Harry didn't deny this,' Draco thought, hearing a sound like running water coming from the bathroom, 'I never once suspected that he…he was someone who liked male company as well; perhaps he was frightened to admit it. I mean, it's not uncommon in our world, but there are Muggles and even Muggleborns who looks upon this like it's some sort of disease.'

The water stopped running in the bathroom and, seconds later, Harry emerged wearing nothing but a pair of light blue pyjama bottoms, his lean, less than average-muscled physique showing Draco the damage that had been done. Harry looked underfed and almost starved, but the worst of it came from the lack of exercise behind his appearance: in some areas, the skin was pale and his ribs could be seen just above his abdomen. Meeting Harry's emerald eyes, Draco tried not to show his shock as he asked, "Are…are you okay, Harry?"

"I am now," Harry replied, sitting down next to Draco as he told him, "You…you can use the bathroom if you want to: thank…thank you for respecting my privacy."

"You don't have to hide anything from me, Harry," Draco told him, letting his hand rest in Harry's hand as he added, "I didn't do what I did out there because I felt sorry for you; when you were gone, I felt like I'd lost a part of myself and, when Severus told me that I was needed here, I felt warm again. I did it because, and I'll scream it from the top of the Astronomy Tower if I have to, but I love you, Harry Potter; I won't leave you alone and if you ever need comfort, I'll be here for you."

Just hearing that someone loved him seemed to be enough, but Draco had to smile as he saw a blush creep up Harry's neck, the eyes of the young wizard turned away from Draco as he showed the smile that Draco had missed. Harry's lips moved in a silent expression, the blush reaching his cheeks as he said the words, but Draco couldn't hear them.

"What?" he asked, keeping his hand in Harry's, "What did you say?"

"I…I said that I've never had anyone love me before," Harry told him, giving Draco a sideways glance as he spoke, "But…for what it's worth, I think…I think I love you too, Draco. That's why…why you were the first Slytherin, hell the first person that I could think of who could help me: but," here, he looked right into Draco's eyes as he asked, "If…if you feel like this for me, then how do you explain what happened before? We were enemies, Draco: rivals who bickered worse than cats and dogs: how does a loathing like that turn into what we feel now?"

"I guess," Draco reasoned, lowering his eyes as he knew that Harry's words spoke truth, "I was just denying my heart: I mean, it sounded a little out there, didn't it? A Slytherin in love with a Gryffindor and, even at my youngest age, I knew that I wanted you close to me, to a point where I could watch you grow and mature into the young wizard I've seen in the past two weeks. I'm sorry for what I did, Harry, but, since we've started anew, I'll stop denying this if you will: I won't let anything bad happen to you and I will stand at your side and be there to help you, I promise."

Again, Harry felt an emotion that was somewhere between relief and actual embarrassment, his hands tightening in Draco's as he told him, "I don't want to be alone, Draco."

"You won't be," Draco promised him, lifting his hand to brush a damp lock of Harry's black hair out of his eyes, his smile actually making Harry feel better. "I won't leave you alone unless you want me to, Harry and even then, I'm just a call away; I know that you need time to let others in again after what's happened, and that's all right. I'll let you have that time, which is why I'm not trying to take advantage of this situation, because I know that you need the time to adjust and to accept this for what it is. You've chosen your path, let go of the excess baggage and decided to officially vanquish the demons that have haunted you your entire life: that takes bravery that even a Gryffindor who's an expert at the craft couldn't manage. That takes the courage of the Harry James Potter that I know and love."

Harry smiled with an air of embarrassment, though he knew that Draco was right: Harry didn't need to hide who or what he was, not around Draco and certainly not around Tom. In fact, when Tom had asked Harry if he wanted anything special to help him overcome the trials that would come with their Halloween memorial, Draco had been the first thing that Harry had asked for and, when Harry had asked for something in exchange for his siding with the ways of the Dark, he'd asked that Draco be left alone: no Marking, no Death Eater induction; no, Draco was his.

And now, with one confession and an acceptance, Draco _was_ his and he was Draco's; neither would abandon the other and Harry didn't need to hide how he felt about that.

"Drake," he whispered, the use of Draco's little nickname making the blonde's blood warm up again, "Can you close your eyes for me?"

"Why?"

"Please," Harry told him, taking the hand that was exploring his black hair, "I…I want to give you something; something that will prove I accept this."

Draco closed his eyes, his heart racing and his breath catching in his throat for a moment as he wondered what Harry would be willing to do: however, all his questions were answered when he felt a warm sensation against his lips, a bony, but strong-willed hand caressing his hair as easily as he had caressed Harry's. Recognising the _gift_, Draco parted his lips and let Harry explore his mouth, the feel of Harry's soft tongue and warm breath making Draco feel stronger already.

Returning the gesture was all too easy; Draco returned his hand to Harry's hair and the two let the other feel their passion and their acceptance for this new relationship.

When they parted, Draco nodded his head before he whispered, "I love you, Harry."

"I love you too, Draco," Harry replied, nodding to the bathroom as he added, "Now why don't you go clean yourself up?"

Draco just laughed and went to oblige his young lover of his request; when he returned five minutes later, he smiled to himself as he saw Harry curled up in bed, turned away from Draco's line of sight. With a sigh, Draco moved to the bed and slid in next to Harry, slipping his arm around Harry's waist and allowing Harry to lean his head against Draco's chest before the Slytherin Prince whispered, "Promise me something before you go to sleep, Harry?"

"What?" asked Harry sleepily, Draco wincing slightly as he felt the last rough spots from the scars on his Harry's hands.

"Build yourself up," Draco replied, running his hand over Harry's small frame, "I know you've had to hold back because of people like Weasel and the Muggles you lived with, but will you let yourself get stronger again…for me?"

"Sure," Harry replied, before he let out a near-silent moan of pleasure at the warm feel of Draco's hands on his skin, "But…will you promise me something…Dragon?"

"What, Raven?" asked Draco, giving Harry a gentle kiss for good measure.

"Weasley," Harry whispered, the word edged by a hiss that reminded Draco of Parseltongue: it sounded good coming from Harry, "Promise that none of the Slytherins will touch him."

"Why?" asked Draco, keeping his raven calm with his gentle touches, "Don't you want revenge for what he did to you?"

"Yes," Harry replied, his voice still edged by that soft sibilant hiss, "But I want him to feel it from the one he hurt most; promise me…that he will be mine."

"I promise," Draco answered him, stroking Harry's black hair as he added, "Now go to sleep; I'll be right here all through the night."

Harry did so…and, moments later, so did Draco, his hand never leaving Harry's as they slept through their first night.

_**BrokenStrings**_

Before Severus took both boys back to Hogwarts the next morning, the two of them were summoned by Tom, who actually laughed when he saw both of them kneel before him like they were members of his circle, "Get up you two: above everyone else, you don't bow to me, Harry and you, Draco, you don't serve me. You are a follower and, as it appears, chosen one of my little snake: that is why I called you here before you left. Tell me Draco: do you truly love Harry?"

"I do, my Lord," Draco replied honestly, Harry feeling a sense of warmth to hear the acceptance from Draco as it was asked by someone else.

"Then I trust that, when he cannot come to me and let out his frustrations, you will be there to help him?" asked Tom, looking to Harry as he said this: though there wasn't any physical difference, he could see something that had changed in his young ward…and it was because of the love and compassion of the young Malfoy. "You will listen to his words and heed his summons as my Death Eaters do me; you will never leave his side and choose only his way in the world. Is this what you would do for him, Draco?"

"That and more, Lord…Voldemort," Draco replied, his words still honest as he glanced to Harry, "We made each other a promise last night: I will do whatever I must to see both sides of that promise fulfilled, but I shall neither discomfort nor disobey his wishes. I know he is the most important person to you, my Lord, but to me, he is a light that I wish to keep shining: I will defend him and his honour any way I must, all to keep him smiling and repair the broken strings of his life."

"Then," Tom sighed, looking to Harry as he nodded, "It seems that my little one chooses his new allies and friends well, Draco: from now on, you do not bow to me or refer to me as your Lord; instead, you may simply refer to me as Harry does: with the name of Tom Riddle or Voldemort. Harry," he turned his gaze on his ward, "I have provided Severus with a few of my old training journals for the Grey Arts and some Dark Arts spells that you can get away with; also, I've asked Severus to teach you Occlumency when you're ready to learn it. Draco, I advise that you do the same: but for now, I will protect your mind with the bond and, as before, I want you to have full control of the bond: open it when you wish and speak with me as you need to or want to. Also, you'll be pleased to know that, after you two left us last night, Lucius and I went to work on the promise I made you when you arrived here, Harry: the results should be turning up later on today."

"Thank you, Tom," Harry remarked, his face showing a happiness that even Draco hadn't seen when they were together last night: whatever the Dark Lord had promised him, it was something special and strong enough to bring that light that Draco wished to protect out for the entire world to see.

"Now," Tom commanded, his voice shifting into Voldemort's commanding tone as he told them, "I think it's time you two left: oh, and Harry? Lucius has invited you to Malfoy Manor for Christmas: what shall I tell him?"

"Yes," Harry answered, walking over and taking Draco's hand as he added, "Tell him yes; thank you again, Tom: until next time."

Tom just laughed as Harry walked out with Draco at his side, neither boy wanting to let their hands leave the grip of the other…

_**BrokenStrings**_

As soon as Harry walked into the gates of Hogwarts, his entire body suddenly went rigid, his eyes wide, but, rather than hold a look of pain, Harry held a look of awe and wonder. Next to him, Draco put his hand on his lover's shoulder before he asked, "What is it? Is something the matter?"

"I…I…I've…n…n…never…" Harry stammered, his voice laced with an almost maniacal excitement as he looked up to the school.

"Never what?" asked Draco, looking now to the school; he may have been imagining things, but, for a short second, it seemed that the school itself was…shimmering?

"I've…never…f…f…felt…s…s…such…p…p…power!" gasped Harry, his eyes on Hogwarts as he looked to Draco, a glow of ethereal power radiating from the young wizard's eyes, "It's…it's like Hogwarts: she's…she's alive!"

"There were rumours," Severus told them, appearing as he usually did out of nowhere; one day, Harry vowed he'd find out how the man did that, "That the Founders put a part of themselves into the school; it also makes sense you feel it, Harry: being a Twice-Recognised Heir of the school."

"How?" asked Draco, Harry smirking as he looked to the stunned blonde.

"Heir of Salazar Slytherin by birth-right and conquest," Harry explained, his voice filled with pride, "And Heir of Godric Gryffindor by blood: I know that…that Tom said I'd be different now that I've chosen my path, but…by Merlin: this is…_incredible!_"

"Are you okay to move now?" asked Draco, keeping a hold on his boyfriend's arm, "Or do we need to restrain you?"

"I'm fine," Harry answered, looking to Draco as they walked with Severus up towards the school, "Sorry Drake, I guess I should have told you: while I was there, Tom performed a full magical scan on my powers and abilities: he found several blocks around my inner core, which allows a wizard control of his wandless abilities, and my main magical core. It took a powerful blood ritual to release both of them and now, I guess, with me being back in Hogwarts, I can feel my ancestors' powers within the walls."

Draco was stunned once again, though he kept Harry upright as they moved through the Entrance Hall and, without waiting for any sort of reaction, Draco took Harry down to the dungeons, both of them entering the Slytherin Common Room to what could be described as a hero's welcome.

Slytherins of all ages cheered the return of the Dark Boy-Who-Lived and, when they saw him accompanied by Draco, some actually gave a nod of understanding before Daphne Greengrass stepped forwards and, helping Harry to a seat, she warned him, "Don't frighten us like that again, Harry. You're one of us, now: hell, you've officially become the new Prince around here, so if anyone gets in your way, then let us know; oh," she added, handing Harry a note which was sealed with a strange M-shaped crest, "This was given to me by some House Elf: said that only you were to open it."

"Thanks Greengrass," Harry sighed, taking the note and, while Draco proceeded to calm everyone down, Harry opened the note, his eyes widening again as he found a surprising confession:

_Heard about what our brainless brother did; wish to repay a debt and live up to a legacy that's been ignored around here for too long._

_Meet on the seventh floor in front of the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy if you want to know more; to call us, just tap your wand and speak the four names of our idols._

_We stand with you, Slytherin or not, because we care about your happiness;_

_Gred and Forge_

_PS: Managed to get to your things before the destruction: they destroyed the wrong Cloak and the wrong Map; sorry about the journal, Lord Prongslet_

Draco, who had returned from calming everyone down, was surprised to find tears of happiness in Harry's eyes; sitting down next to his boyfriend, Draco put his arm around Harry and held him close, smiling proudly as he asked, "What is it?"

"You were right, Drake," Harry replied, wiping his eyes as he looked to Draco and, handing him the note, he added, "I'm not alone."

**Chapter 4 and Harry has found advocates in friends he never should have underestimated, but can the new Marauders help Harry now that his path is a true Slytherin?**

**Plus, how will Hogwarts react to the news about Harry and Draco – since rumours and secrets don't stay secret at Hogwarts for long – and what is this promise made by Tom?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: There's another encounter on the horizon in the aftermath of Ron's sick-minded vengeance; plus, it seems that Tom has made a promise to Harry and makes good on it when good news comes Harry's way; also, Harry meets the twins and is surprised to find how far their loyalty to him really goes…and they're not alone…**

**Please Read and Review…**


	6. The Price of Trust

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: Well Storm, I only hope you manage to keep up with what comes next, especially for our ex-heroes: I have plans for them;**

**TMNinjaGinga: I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I only hope that I continue to impress you;**

**T4: If you were expecting a redeemed Hermione, then I'm afraid that I must let you down: as for who else sides with Harry, all will be revealed in due time;**

**Lovebites123: Heir of Slytherin by birthright and conquest – he's defeated Tom three times and, by right, he becomes the new heir and, as for birthright: well, a Potter was descended from the Blacks and they're descendants of Slytherin so…**

_Draco, who had returned from calming everyone down, was surprised to find tears of happiness in Harry's eyes; sitting down next to his boyfriend, Draco put his arm around Harry and held him close, smiling proudly as he asked, "What is it?"_

"_You were right, Drake," Harry replied, wiping his eyes as he looked to Draco and, handing him the note, he added, "I'm not alone."_

Chapter 5: The Price of Trust

Fred and George Weasley were probably the only two remaining members of Gryffindor that felt any real remorse or loyalty towards the former Golden Boy of Gryffindor, Harry Potter, especially after what Ron had done to exact a sense of revenge on the fifth-year wizard. However, what Ron should have realised was that nothing stayed secret in Gryffindor Tower, not when the proverbial Demons of Gryffindor knew every secret passage and every hidden alcove.

When they'd heard about his sick-minded beliefs and how he was going to destroy the legacy and memory of Harry Potter, it had been a simple matter of a Duplication Charm and a Switching Spell and their forged Cloak and Map had been destroyed along with Harry's other belongings. After that, Fred had written the message to Harry and George, recalling the name of the one Hogwarts House Elf that was ever-loyal to their honorary brother, had it sent to the Slytherins.

However, neither of them would ever forgive their sick-minded relative for his actions, nor would they soon forget the haunting look in the eyes of Neville Longbottom when he moved down from the boys' dormitory to retrieve said sick-minded relative. After that, nearly everyone in the entire tower had heard and felt the magical backlashes and screams from the so-called Boy-Who-Lived and, in one fell stroke, the twins had known.

Then, now and forever, their loyalty, their services and every single piece of their resources would belong solely to their benefactor, brother in all but blood and, if he wished it, future lord and leader, Harry James Potter.

So, on the evening after Halloween, when the twins felt a vibration against the charmed parchments in their pockets, they knew two things: he was back from wherever he'd run…and he wanted to talk to them.

Sharing a glance, the Twins nodded once and, rising from their seats, left the Common Room, unaware that, as they did so, a third member followed closely behind…

_**BrokenStrings**_

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs."

"Who?" asked Draco as he watched Harry tap his wand once for each name spoken; there was an air of cold hostility in his voice as he said Wormtail's name, but Draco could understand that. The rat wasn't someone that crossed the Dark Lord and got away with it, so it made sense for this renewed Harry to also feel like he wasn't going to just forgive and forget.

"The Marauders," Harry answered him, leaning casually against the edge of the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy, "My Father, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew; infamous pranking legends of Hogwarts and people that made a certain Head of House's life a real misery for seven years and beyond."

"Wow," Draco gasped, noticing an air of calmness enter Harry's posture as he seemed proud to speak of his heritage, "I always thought that Uncle Severus just hated your Dad because of…well, because of…"

"His friendship with my Mum," Harry finished, smiling at his boyfriend as he shook his head, "That was one reason, Draco and you don't have to sugar coat it; Severus told me everything before he came to get you. He told me about the debt that my Father put on him for saving his life against Remus and how my Mother was a life-long friend…well, until the day that Dad embarrassed him and he accidentally called Mum a Mudblood."

"So…what does he think about you now?" asked Draco, looking both ways in case the source of their waiting dared to creep up on them.

"He said that he's going to treat me like a snake as long as I remain one," Harry told him, putting a hand over the Slytherin Serpent that decorated his robe – thanks to a quick Transfiguration courtesy of Draco and the other snakes – as he continued, "And he's going to stop with the remarks and leave them for, in his words, my mongrel godfather. Apparently, Sirius is the only one who still refuses to let sleeping dogs lie; no pun intended."

"Huh?" asked Draco, watching as Harry peered down the corridor himself; this relaxed state courtesy of his boyfriend actually pleased Draco: it showed the innocence that still existed within Harry's slightly-still-fractured soul.

"Their names came from the fact that each one of them, save for Remus, became an Animagus while at Hogwarts," Harry explained, still smiling with an air of pride as he explained, "Sirius is a large black dog similar to the Grim; Dad was a stag, which is also, ironically, the shape of my Patronus and Wormtail was, and still is, a snivelling cowardly little rat. Remus got his name because of his little furry problem: it's the reason my Dad became an Animagus in the first place."

"That's some achievement," Draco remarked, looking to Harry's eyes as he asked, "Have you ever considered it, Harry? Trying to become an Animagus?"

"Maybe one day," Harry answered, before he held up a hand for silence as he added, "And are you two going to stand around that corner all day? It's all right: you can trust Draco; I do."

Following Harry's tone of voice, Draco looked towards the end of the corridor and was stunned to notice that the elder Weasleys, Fred and George, had been standing there for some time: how had his boyfriend seen them?

Approaching the two Slytherins, the two Gryffindors shared a sigh of exasperation before Fred remarked, "Sorry for the hesitation, Harry: we heard Malfoy's voice and…well…"

"We didn't know if you were in trouble or…" George continued, before they were both cut off by a raised hand from Harry.

"I appreciate the concern, guys," he told them, his voice filled with a mix of amusement and warmth that Draco knew all too well, "But there's no need to worry; Draco is the one who's kept me so strong in the past fortnight. He's the one that invited me into the Slytherin House and I don't care how many Gryffindors don't like it, I choose to stay there. Now, why did you want to meet here specifically and…" he trailed off as he glanced past the Twins before adding, "Are you two aware that you're being followed?"

"No." The Twins chorused, both of them wheeling round and drawing their wands, Harry already opening his robe and, as he did so, the Twins and Draco heard him hissing in Parseltongue, only Draco knowing that Rose was whom he was speaking to.

/_Can you smell them?_/ Harry asked, watching as Rose unwound herself from around his waist and settled around his shoulders so that she seemed to resemble a scarf.

Flicking her tongue out, she answered him, /_I smell the scent of the woodlands, Harry and there's another there; a strange, eerie scent that is mystifying and attractive. I can also smell fear and guilt from them: I don't think they intended to spy on you._/

'Woodlands,' Harry thought, a smile creeping across his face as he held his hand over the Twins' wands, his voice carrying as he knew then who was spying on him. "Come on out, Neville: if you wanted to meet as well, you only had to ask; and bring your friend with you."

Sure enough, Neville Longbottom stepped around the corner, his eyes lowered as he showed that he was indeed sorry for spying; however, seconds later, Harry was surprised when Luna Lovegood, the mysterious fourth year that he'd met at the start of the year, joined Neville. Unlike the Gryffindor, she didn't show any real remorse for what she'd done; instead, she skipped down the corridor in her merry style and, stopping before Harry, she told him, "Welcome back, Harry Potter: sorry for eavesdropping; I thought you might have Wrackspurts on the brain because of this meeting; they tend to confuse people."

Harry couldn't help it: he suddenly started laughing and, moving past Fred and George, he hugged Luna before he told her, "If any Wrackspurts got into my head, Luna, I'd be sure to send them packing."

"Yes," Luna agreed, "Snakes are always at their most dangerous when their young ones are threatened, aren't they Harry?"

Draco went white at the exclamation, but Harry still laughed: the air of mystery that Rose had smelled; he now understood it: Luna _was_ different, but not in the bad sense. If anything, her very presence made Harry feel good again; releasing her from the hug, Harry moved down and, stopping before Neville, he asked, "Why did you follow the Twins, Neville? We're friends; I'd have welcomed you if you'd only asked."

"Sorry Harry," Neville replied, his voice showing his sincerity as he explained, "I…I was worried for you after…after what _he_ did to your things; when I heard you were back, I wanted to…to make sure you were okay. I mean, you're helping me show the real Gryffindor that I am and not the Squib they want me to be; I didn't mean to betray you like this."

"You didn't," Harry told him, clasping his shoulder as he led Neville back to the others, "You and Luna are welcome in this little circle: I may not know her much, but I can see that Luna's someone I can trust and call a friend. In fact, she makes me feel better just by smiling and acting like she does and, in case you're wondering, there's only one other person that makes me feel like that…and he's standing there doing a pretty good impression of a startled fish. Close your mouth, Draco."

Draco obliged, before he laughed as he answered Harry, "I told you that you weren't alone, Harry: I never suspected that it would become this big. If you don't mind me asking, though: why are you here for him, Miss Lovegood?"

"Harry has a strong heart," Luna told him, before she took Harry's hand and, before Draco could say anything, she linked his hand with that of the raven-haired snake in lion's clothing before she continued, "And he doesn't have to hide it from us: you make him feel whole, Draco Malfoy and that's good. He didn't insult me before he knew me and he has a liking for friends and closeness; in time, the Chimera can form its own Pride from those who share in his light."

"The…Chimera?" asked Fred, earning a laugh from Harry while Neville shook his head.

"A half-snake, half-lion creature," Neville explained, indicating Harry as he added, "Which is what Harry has become: half-Slytherin, half-Gryffindor, but still all Harry. And she's right too: Harry has never said anything bad about Luna or me…well, except for the one time, but we were young and I was stupid. Harry's a leader and he treats us as equals, no matter who we are or the backgrounds that we have, isn't that right, Harry?"

"I actually couldn't have said it better myself, Neville," Harry told him, swallowing hard as he clasped Draco's hand, keeping his gaze on his friends as he asked, "Back to the point, however: what are we doing here and why did you two want to meet here?"

"There's a room," Fred explained, indicating the wall behind them, "That only appears to those who have need of it."

"It literally becomes whatever its occupants need," George continued, "And we were lucky enough to find it a short time ago; when we…recovered your prized possessions, we stored them in here."

"All you need to do," Fred informed Harry, indicating the apparently-bare stone wall, "Is walk backwards and forwards in front of the wall three times, thinking about what you need and, hey presto, we have it."

"The Room of Requirement," they chorused, as though finishing some sort of big promotion; they even splayed their fingers in a _jazz-hands_ expression.

"It's perfect," Harry whispered, already moving to pace back and forth, his mind echoing the thought of wanting to find where his friends had stored his belongings. Sure enough, after three times the pacing, a door actually appeared from within the wall, Draco moving to push the door open and, stepping inside, the six students found themselves standing in a relaxing-looking Common Room environment. However, as he looked around, Harry then laughed as he saw the same throne-like chair from his and Draco's hangout in the dungeons: this room really _did_ echo the thoughts of its occupants. Glancing to the Twins, Harry smiled and nodded, "Thanks guys: where…"

"On the throne," Draco answered, Harry looking to his chair and, sure enough, on the seat of the black chair _was_ his Father's Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, the Firebolt from Sirius leaning against the side of the throne.

Harry couldn't help it; he let go of Draco's hand and ran to the chair, gathering his belongings up in his arms and holding them close, Rose hissing in contentment as she felt the same liquid-like fabric of the rare cloak, Draco smiling as he approached his boyfriend and, glancing to the Cloak, told him, "So that's how you did it, is it? I have to admit that I was curious about how your head was in Hogsmeade."

Both boys laughed at the memory before Draco placed a gentle kiss on Harry's cheek and, easing him into his rightful place on the throne, he began to gently tease Harry's black hair before he looked to Fred and George and added, "Thank you: you have no idea what this means to him."

"We do," the Twins chorused, both of them moving to Harry before, as one, they dropped to one knee, bowing before him like Knights before a King, Fred speaking first. "Harry, you've been abandoned by our House and those that you thought you could call your family; however, in the time we've known you, you've come to be like a brother to us."

"You helped start our little enterprise when everyone else wanted us to quit," George added, Harry then aware of both Weasleys drawing their wands, though they made no move to attack him.

"For that," Fred explained, presenting his wand as though it was a sword, the eleven-inch magical instrument flat on his palms, "And for all we wish to do to repay you, we give you our wands…"

"And our fealty as wizards," George added, both of them speaking in unison as they made it official.

"We shall follow you, through hell and back: we shall do whatever you ask and your enemies shall be ours; we are your eyes, ears, sword, shield and support as and when you wish it of us; this, above all others, we swear to you…our Brother, Lord, Prince and Master."

Taking both wands, Harry felt an air of shock, but stopped himself as he opened the bond and, addressing Tom, he asked, '_You hear that?_'

'_Every word,_' the Dark Lord answered, his voice calm as he considered what was being offered, '_Clearly you are building your own circle here, Harry and I approve of it; like Draco, they will be yours, so the decision is yours. If you are asking my opinion, then you have it: if you are asking how I feel about sons of a Light Family on our side, then I say this: your warriors, your rules._'

'_Thanks Tom,_' Harry told him, before he closed the bond again and, pressing the tips of both wands to the heads of both Weasleys, he exclaimed, "Fred and George Weasley: I accept your oaths as you accept the rights, responsibilities and requirements that come with such positions among my circle: rise as my vassals and my warriors and take your wands…my brothers."

As Fred and George did so, Harry looked over towards Neville and Luna, the lesser of the two actually looking shocked at something that was clearly beyond Harry's understanding; to clear the air, he asked, "What's wrong, Neville?"

"Sorry, Harry," Neville told him, before he gulped and, approaching the quartet, took a seat on one of the other chairs, Harry still sat on his throne with Draco at his side. "It's just that the oath that the Twins just swore to you isn't used commonly: it's a powerful fealty vow that binds them to you in services and in the event of battle. If you command them, they cannot disobey you and if they fail you, then their fates become yours to decide as you wish: you could even strip them of their magic for their failure."

"What?" gasped Harry, looking to the Twins as he asked, "Did…did you know of this?"

Both nodded and Harry sagged into his throne, Draco kneeling by his side where he held his boyfriend's hand, his free hand stroking Harry's cheek as he told him, "Don't worry about it love; they clearly knew what they were doing and wouldn't have sent that letter if they didn't believe in you. Besides, what…Neville doesn't say is that the vow also allows them to share any secrets they may have learned that others wouldn't want you to know about and, similarly, they cannot betray or reveal _your_ secrets without your express permission. I know you don't like being addressed as the title, my Harry, but you've now become their one true Master and they are yours to command."

"Draco's right," Luna piped up, looking to Harry as she explained, "And while I don't really owe you anything myself, Harry: if you wanted me to swear that oath, then all you'd have to do is ask. Wild phoenixes couldn't pull the truth from my mind no matter how big a sweet tooth I may have."

Something about that little quip from the Ravenclaw had alarm bells ringing in Harry's head and, on the other end of the bond, Tom also sensed a grain of warning among her words. Calming himself, Harry told her, "Luna, you're my friend, I understand that and, in some strange and unique way, you have this knack for protecting secrets and knowing where your loyalties lie: I couldn't ask for a better friend and I don't need an oath…from you or from Neville."

"But there is a price for my loyalty, isn't there, Harry?" asked Neville, his voice suggesting a mix of suspicion and strength that was lost to everyone else, but to Harry and his ilk, it was as clear as day.

"One day there will be a price, Neville," Harry told him, before he beckoned to the Gryffindor with one hand, Neville obliging as he stood by the throne, Harry taking the boy by his shoulder as he added, "But it's not today: I've seen that you'll help me and that you'll stand with me, so, for now, tell me: once and for all, where do you stand? Dumbledore and his lies and manipulations or the Ministry and their defective beliefs in the truth and harmony?"

Neville's answer was quick, "Neither Harry: I stand with you; like Luna, if an oath is needed, then I'll swear it in a heartbeat. House Potter and House Longbottom have long been allies and, even if you turned to the Dark and became everything they don't want you to be, I would still honour that kinship. I won't forget what you said to me in the Great Hall and, when the time comes for me to pay the price that you need for my loyalty and your trust in me, then I will pay it. Call when you need of me: ask what you will of me; my wand, my will and my soul are yours."

"Good answer," Luna laughed, Harry leaning against the headboard of his throne as he looked out over his small circle of already-blossoming followers and warriors.

But, with the exception of Draco, they were also more: they were friends…while Draco was his boyfriend, his supporter and his lover.

A new era had begun at Hogwarts…

_**BrokenStrings**_

The next morning, a strange hush had settled over the Great Hall and, as Harry walked into the hall, flanked by his circle, he glanced once to the Gryffindors before he whispered, "Fred, George; go and keep an eye on the lions; Neville, stay with Luna and I'll join the Slytherins."

Silent responses of obedience were shared among the small company and, as Harry sat in his now-usual spot between Draco and Tracey Davis, his eyes wandered to the High Table where Dumbledore was watching with rapt attention. The warning that Luna had given him still rang in his ears: _wild phoenixes couldn't pull the truth from my mind no matter how big a sweet tooth I may have._

'Dumbledore owns a phoenix,' Harry thought, picking at a bowl of porridge that he'd selected for his breakfast, 'And it's common knowledge that he offers Lemon Drops to anyone that walks into his office. I wonder…'

"So," asked Draco, watching Harry eat and making sure that he was keeping his promise, "What do you reckon has got everyone so on edge?"

"Don't know Drake," Harry replied, taking a drink of fresh orange as he then looked down and, as he did so, he saw a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ that had clearly been put there by one of the other Slytherins. As soon as he saw the headline, Harry's face brightened up so much that he could have lit up all of New York City.

_SIRIUS BLACK CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES_

'Tom,' Harry thought, his hands trembling as he read through the information written in the paper, 'Thank you: you kept your promise.'

And he had done indeed: when Harry had been recovering and had sworn his loyalty to Tom in exchange for a continued guarantee that if he asked for something, then Tom would give it, the Dark Lord had said that he would give Harry something really special. Something that he'd wanted for a long time coming and that would mark Tom as keeping his own promise to keep his precious one happy.

Harry had no idea what that something was until just this moment: he should have suspected that it was something to do with the Ministry given that Lucius was involved, but he was just too happy to care. Now though, it seemed that Harry had two new targets to draw into his rapidly growing force of magical warriors: Moony and Padfoot.

'Tom has the allegiance of the werewolves through the one called Greyback,' Harry thought, taking a long draught from his glass, 'And, if I remember what he told me, Greyback is the one that turned Remus in the first place. That could be trouble: on the other hand, there's also the matter that Sirius, as a Black Family Exile, would never side with the Malfoys or even with Tom's closest feminine warrior, Bellatrix Lestrange. Should I tell him that Draco and I are now boyfriends? Would he turn_ me_ away because I'm in love with a Malfoy?'

Draco, looking out of the corner of his eye to his lover, saw Harry's hands clench tight, his eyes filled with a sense of hurt and fear as he read through the article. Slipping his hand into Harry's, Draco shushed him with a whisper before he told him, "Our place; after breakfast: just the two of us, okay?"

Harry nodded, but he couldn't stop the shivers that consumed his body:

_Would_ Sirius abandon him because he was in love and on the same side as another member of the Blacks?

And would Remus abandon him because he now stood above the rule of the one that had cursed his life?

**Chapter 5 and Harry has been given a light back, but with every light, there must be a darkness: will Sirius stay true to his pup or will it be Harry Vs Sirius before this story is done?**

**Also, how will Draco react when he learns the whole story about Harry's trust in his godfather and his family?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Harry and Draco discuss Sirius and Remus; plus, in a twist of fate, there's an offer to Harry from Umbridge as it seems that our ex-heroes are causing trouble and, with the Holidays approaching, Harry must choose: go back to his family or spend the holidays with the young man he loves?**

**Please Read and Review…**


	7. Rage Against the Light

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**PhoenixFelicis: You won't have to wait long for the guilty party to be fed their just desserts and, for the first time, he'll choke on it; as for TDM, I lost the mindset that I'd been in when I wrote it; so, sorry about that;**

**Lady Gaga Love Slasher: I'll keep that in mind: but this is one story that I plan on keeping going for some time;**

**David-El: The DA will appear soon, but without key members – such as Harry, Neville, Luna and the Twins – do you think it'll be much of a threat? I don't think so;**

**StormyFireDragon: No problem Storm and thank you for what you did to help with what's to come; it'll be here in a few chapters time;**

**T4: I don't know about that, but there may be a way to twist it around: I don't know; I have an idea that's inspired by one of my favourite Harry/Draco stories, so I'll have to see if it works;**

_Would Sirius abandon him because he was in love and on the same side as another member of the Blacks?_

_And would Remus abandon him because he now stood above the rule of the one that had cursed his life?_

Chapter 6: Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light

After breakfast, Harry and Draco made their way down towards the hangout, Draco keeping an eye and a hand on his boyfriend as he could practically feel the dilemmas faced by Harry, but didn't want to say anything for fear of upsetting him. He knew, or he could guess that Harry's dilemmas were tied to the fact that his godfather and Draco's uncle was now a free man again and yet, as they entered the hangout, Harry making his way over to the throne where he took his favoured seat, Draco also knew something else.

Harry was going to make a decision today; whether or not that decision was for the good or the ill of the world was something that he alone could decide.

Without really waiting for a word from Harry, Draco asked, "It's Sirius, isn't it?"

"What?" asked Harry, glancing to Draco with his innocent emerald eyes.

"What's got you so upset and tense like a coiled viper," Draco added, moving to a chair close to his boyfriend as he explained, "It's something about Sirius' freedom and the choices you've made recently: it's all right, Harry," here, he reached out like he had done in the Room of Requirement and began soothingly stroking Harry's skin on the back of his hand, "I'm right here; you can tell me."

"Yes," Harry agreed, then added for emphasis, "It is Sirius: I'm worried about…about how he'll accept the new me, Drake: I mean, I know he won't ever intentionally hurt me, but now that I've chosen the side of true power and abandoned the old life, I can't help but wonder how Sirius would react. Especially since Tom has the allegiance of the remaining members of the active Black Family in your parents, not to mention the Lestrange Family. Then, there's Remus: our former Defence Professor."

"The werewolf?" asked Draco, actually confused at this confession, "What about him?"

"Another of Tom's followers," Harry explained, his voice filled with the fear and anxiety that he'd felt when he'd thought about this before, "Fenrir Greyback: he's the werewolf that bit Remus as a child: I highly doubt that Remus would follow Tom knowing that the cause for his curse stands tall and proud and still alive. Not to mention how he could feel when he learns I've turned against the legacy and memories that he treasures as much as he treasures me and…"

"And if you actually believe that, then you're even more of a Gryffindor than I first thought, Harry Potter," Draco laughed, shaking his head at the stunned and confused looks that he was getting from Harry, "Do you actually think that someone who treasures you so dearly would abandon you? If that's the case, then why didn't the Dark…sorry, I mean why didn't Tom kill you when he had the chance?"

"What are you saying, Draco?" asked Harry, watching as Draco stood up, before he took Harry's hand and pulled him up into a warm and caring embrace, his hand moving through his raven's black hair.

"I'm saying that I'd bet you anything you ask that Remus Lupin will join you here on the side of true power, as you so passionately put it, because he won't stand against you for anything," Draco answered him, keeping his lover calm with his soft touch, before he smiled and, placing a gentle kiss on Harry's forehead, he added, "And, for the record, I won't let him even if he did and neither would Tom; he'll protect you and your life to the very end. As for my estranged cousin-slash-uncle, he would choose to follow his heart and, given that you're his godson and the one thing he was always willing to die for, I'd still bet you one request that he'd choose you."

"So that's two free wishes of you in exchange for the same of me: is that a bet?" asked Harry, giving his boyfriend a cheesy, but sly smile as he met the calm eyes of the Ice Prince of Slytherin.

"Maybe," Draco replied, letting go of Harry as he asked, "Why? Do you want it to be?"

Harry just laughed in response, which prompted Draco to tell him, "All right; it's a bet: if Sirius and Remus join you, I'll do anything you want or give you anything you want once for each of them. If not, you have to do the same for me: do we have a deal, Harry?"

The Chimera of Slytherin just laughed before he shook Draco's hand, his eyes filled with the same light that Draco loved seeing in his raven before Harry told him, "Thanks, Drake: I needed that."

"I promised you I'd be here for you, love," Draco told him, giving Harry a soft kiss on the cheek, "And I always will be: now, come on: let's go and enjoy the nice weather before it vanishes too quickly."

Harry let Draco lead him out of the hangout, his heart and his mind feeling a lot better than they had done when he'd walked into the hangout…

_**BrokenStrings**_

It was two days later that Harry, after a Defence lesson with Professor Umbridge, heard the familiar clearing of the woman's throat before she asked, "Mr Potter, would you mind staying behind a moment?"

"Of course, Professor Umbridge," Harry replied, wondering what the toad would want with him now; though he'd done everything he could to continue observing her, the Chimera of Slytherin was beginning to await the day when he could hand her to Tom and watch and listen as she screamed in pain.

When the last student – Draco, who watched Harry and Umbridge warily – left the classroom, Harry packed his book and parchment away before he approached the desk and asked, "Is there something that I can do for you, Professor?"

"Actually, Mr Potter," Umbridge replied, looking to the door in case of eavesdroppers, "This is two things; one thing I have done for you given your change in success recently and your obligation to the promise you made me. First, what I did for you: given the change in your grades and the way that you are handling yourself around this school, I have contacted the Minister and, as of today, you are now a permanent member of Slytherin House: congratulations."

"Thank you, Professor Umbridge," Harry replied, keeping his feelings calm despite the shock and awe of what this woman had done for him building inside him. "And now, as I am guessing this is a two-way gift, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like you to speak to your fellow Slytherins for me," Professor Umbridge explained, her voice as sickly sweet as ever as she explained to Harry what she wanted him for, "With regards to…a little project that the Minister has given me clearance to perform: you see, Mr Potter, I don't think that certain students in this school are getting the message. There have been whispers and gatherings of the…unorthodox variety, especially where a small band of Gryffindors are concerned. I have noticed that there seems to be an increase in the troubles around the school concerning your…sorry, Dumbledore's lies and taunts about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This, Mr Potter, is what I want you and the Slytherins for: I'd like you to build…a group of Slytherins and students that follow the Ministry to keep tabs on those around Hogwarts who choose to defy the Ministry and disturb the harmony of this institute. Of course, as a reward for this task, I will make you the official leader and commander of this squad and give you the rights and privileges of Prefects _and_ Head Boy and allow you free reign of the castle as and when you need it. Also, if you do a good enough job, I shall lift the ban I placed on you playing Quidditch for your House: what do you say, Mr Potter? Do we have a deal?"

'I say I've got you now, you senile, callous cow's child,' Harry thought, trying his hardest to keep his face straight as though he was considering her offer, 'And here I was wondering how I could use you to bring down the fools and doubters that choose to break me and my soul and you offer it to me on a silver platter. Oh…this will be fun.'

"Professor Umbridge, I accept!"

_**BrokenStrings**_

That night, when they were alone in the dorm, Harry and Draco discussed what they'd heard from Umbridge; much to Harry's surprise, Draco started it by saying, "I actually think it's a bad idea, Harry."

"Why's that, Drake?" asked Harry, looking to his boyfriend with a sense of shock that was only beaten by his determination to bring down those who'd broken him. "I'd have thought you of all people around here would jump at the chance to help me take my revenge for allowing them to break me, especially Umbridge."

"That's my point," Draco told him, moving from his bed to Harry's where he held his lover close, Harry resting his head on Draco's shoulder, "If Umbridge or, Salazar forbid, Dumbledore learn of how you're using this request to your advantage and learn of the new, darker you that I don't mind seeing every now and again, you could be hurt…or worse. I don't want to lose you again, Harry: I know you want revenge on both the old fool and on Umbridge for what they've put you through, but giving yourself a bulls-eye on your back isn't the way to do it."

"I'm not doing that," Harry told him, though he kept his head on Draco's shoulder, his hand linked with the blonde Slytherin's as he spoke, "I'm giving the old bastard something to be afraid of and, now that Umbridge has it in for me in the good way and now that I'm also officially a Slytherin, I don't have to be so cautious. I can use the side of me that I've wanted to use for three weeks now and more and I don't have to worry about anyone's opinions."

"I can't disagree with you there," Draco noted, stroking Harry's black hair as he liked to when he was holding his boyfriend, "But…well, what about Tom? Have you told him about this plan and the request?"

"I told him over dinner about the request and he agrees with me," Harry explained, his voice calm despite the fears and anxieties he was feeling at the thought of his boyfriend questioning his choices. The last time someone had done that, they'd wound up destroying an item that meant more than gold to him: was he really hurting Draco that much? "Anyway," he continued, "I also asked him to leave Umbridge to me and he said that he would, which means I have his support. Why? Don't I have yours, Dragon?"

"Don't be stupid," Draco snapped, suddenly startling Harry as he moved from the bed, his eyes filled with shock as he faced the emerald-eyed Slytherin, "I know how your mind works, Harry Potter, and you should know that, possibly with the exceptions of Severus and Tom, there's no-one who will stand by your side more than me in this House."

"Stupid?" asked Harry, now rising from his bed as he faced Draco: he didn't know why, but he suddenly felt very angry, "Is that what I am, Draco? Do I need to remind you what I did to the last person that dared accuse me? Weasley still has frost-marked skin from where I left him as a Gryffindor Icicle: so if that's what you feel, then maybe you should just go…because I don't need anyone else against me; in fact, I don't need anyone else, period!"

"Harry…" Draco gasped, wondering where all this rage, this untapped fury was coming from; around them, the lights flickered and a cold wind blew through the dorm.

"Just go!" snapped Harry, gesturing to the door, which flew open as if bidden, Harry turning his back on Draco as he told him, "And don't come back unless you know that you want to be with me, to stop me being alone, just like you promised me!"

A theory suddenly entered Draco's mind as to why Harry was feeling so angry, but first he had to calm the storm; lowering his head, he told him, "I'll go, but that doesn't mean I'm leaving you, Raven. I love you and I belong with you and belong to you; I don't oppose your ideas and would be glad to stand with you in this…Squad. Just…just remember that."

Then he was gone, Harry guessing that he was either going on a spur-of-the-moment patrol or down to the Prefect's Dormitory within Slytherin House; either way, he didn't want to see Draco again until _at least_ the next morning.

Yet…he still didn't know why that was or why he'd been so angry to the one he'd loved…

_**BrokenStrings**_

Harry felt sick the next morning;

Not just weighed down with guilt and remorse for how he'd treated Draco; literally, he felt sick: his head felt like it was on fire and he couldn't keep his stomach from twisting around inside him. Tapping into his magic to try and heal the ailment did little to help him save for crafting a basin for him to release his sickness into: in the short space of an hour, he must have filled it three times.

Lying on his back, Harry did the only thing he could: he opened the bond, '_Tom?_'

'_Harry?_' The response was instantaneous and Harry felt happy at hearing a sense of panic and shock from his guardian, '_What happened, little snake? I've felt a pain in you for the past three hours and, because of my promise, I didn't want to intrude on your mind: are you all right?_'

'_I feel sick,_' Harry told him, gulping audibly to keep another wave of vomit down as he added, '_And…worse, I…I was angry, Tom: towards…towards Draco._'

'_Why?_' asked the Dark Lord, his voice now filled with pity and comfort, '_Harry: you love Draco and he loves you; why were you angry?_'

'_I don't know,_' Harry admitted, pausing momentarily to let another wave of vomit fill the basin at his side, his magic clearing it away quickly before he added, '_I…I was just so angry to him and…I yelled and told him I didn't need him; but Tom…I do need him: I _want_ him here; I…I feel so weak._'

'_Little snake,_' Tom sighed, Harry sensing a feeling like what he'd felt when Tom had first spoken to him; as though he was being held, but he didn't want Tom: he wanted Draco. '_Harry, you do trust me, don't you?_'

'_Yes,_' Harry replied, wondering where Tom was going with this: it was like he'd been hit with an inspiration.

'_Then,_' asked the Dark Lord, '_Will you let me into your mind? So I may see your memories and try to figure out this mystery myself? I promise I won't hurt you and I'll shield you from your pain._'

'_But…_' Harry coughed, spitting another globule into the basin, '_What…what about…_'

'_I'll send word to Severus to find Draco,_' Tom promised him, the soothing presence within Harry's mind helping him, '_But you are my Ward and I am your Sire; I have to help you first, Harry. Will you let me?_'

'_Y-Yes,_' Harry stammered, his hands trembling as he felt a solid weight press down on his thoughts before it was replaced by a light tingling that ran through his body, soothing his chaotically-possessed stomach and his almost fevered mind. Deep in his consciousness, Harry felt the connection between him and Tom grow stronger before he sensed something within his magic: it was like a snake that coiled around him and started burrowing its way into his core by entering whatever orifice it could.

To distract himself, Harry switched tongues and spoke with his friend, /_Rose: are you here?_/

/_I am always here, little one,_/ replied the snake, her soft scales crawling up Harry's leg until she curled up on his stomach, Harry stroking her to keep himself occupied. /_You are unwell, little one: where is your mate?_/

/_I don't know,_/ Harry admitted, glancing around the dorm; it was then he noticed that he was well and truly alone: the only other bed in the dorm clearly belonged to Draco. Which also meant that Theo Nott, Blaise Zabini, as well as Crabbe and Goyle all shared a dorm: was this something that Draco or Severus had done? /_Rose: I feel…so stupid for yelling at him; I need him; I need my Draco._/

/_I know you do, little one,_/ Rose hissed, puffing her tongue at Harry's fingers, her soft voice keeping a smile on her human's face, /_It will be well: I know your mate's scent and he smells of you and the strength that you share. He will come back to you; however, I have missed this, Harry: this conversing with just the two of us._/

/_I'm sorry, girl,_/ Harry told her, stroking her scales to assure her that he hadn't forgotten her; deep in his mind, Harry felt Tom's motions within him, the magic examining every inch of the Slytherin that he was. To distract himself from the discomfort that this sensation brought up, Harry asked, /_Rose, what do you think I should do about Sirius and Remus and their allegiances to me?_/

/_You have a desire to keep your nest complete,_/ Rose hissed, her wisdom actually surprising Harry as she spoke to him, /_And, though I have not heard the conversations between you and the young dragon, I know that his words give you strength. Do not fear, little one: if their allegiance towards you is true, then they shall stand proudly by your side through thick and thin._/

/_That's something along the lines of what Draco said,_/ Harry laughed, before he gasped and, with a heave so powerful that it forced Rose to slither off him, Harry doubled over and vomited one last time; this time, however, his…release was edged by a violet-coloured liquid that frothed and bubbled like an acidic pool.

Deep in his mind, Harry heard Tom tell him, '_Sorry about that, little one: I did all I could to exorcise the taint that I found: it seems to be a potion._'

'_Not one I'm familiar with,_' Harry admitted, massaging his now calm stomach as he added, '_What's it called, Tom?_'

'_It's known as the Eragia Potion, or the Draught of Rage: when ingested or used in application to the skin, it amplifies the feelings of aggression and extreme hatred towards a specified target: somehow, this one must have been keyed to Draco._' Tom's words brought a genuine rage to Harry's soul as he wondered what fool could be stupid enough to try and poison him against Draco. Then he remembered who was against him: namely the majority of Gryffindor and, on top of them, Headmaster Dumbledore. However, Tom then continued, '_If I had to guess Harry, you must have ingested this potion yesterday at dinner: your mind was on me so your senses couldn't warn you. I'm sorry, little snake: I try to protect you and yet I harm you more than they do._'

'_Don't apologise, Tom,_' Harry told him, his voice filled with cold determination, '_Save that for when I bring the one that did this to me to their knees: is there any way to immunise me against potions like these?_'

'_There is,_' Tom explained, '_But it's not a way that I would offer to you willingly, Harry: it's dangerous and, if performed incorrectly in any way, it could kill you._'

'_I'll take my chances,_' Harry snarled, his hands curled into fists as he told the Dark Lord, '_I won't let _anyone_ take me from Draco, not even you, Tom: now what's the way?_'

'_A blood ritual,_' Tom explained, before he heaved a sigh as he added, '_And injection from the poisonous fang of a Basilisk: if you're interested, I can perform the ritual at Christmas, but for now, I'll mentally give you the spell to detect any hidden anomalies in anything you eat, drink or receive._'

'_And I'll get the fang by then,_' Harry told him, before he laughed as he added, '_I've been looking for a reason to go back to the Chamber anyway: thank you, Tom._'

'_That's fine, little snake,_' Tom explained, before he added, '_One last thing: the reason you've been so sick is because the potion itself was botched: it needs continuous ingestion or application to work, but this one wasn't a fully-matured Eregia: it was performed by someone who was either rushed…or an amateur._'

'_Ronald…Weasley,_' Harry snarled, earning a hum of agreement from his guardian.

'_That would be my guess._'

_**BrokenStrings**_

Draco, after leaving for the Prefect's Dorm, put his plan into action as soon as he'd woken: he wasn't a Potions prodigy for nothing; with help from Severus, who told him that he'd sensed Harry's discord through the responsibility he had to the boy, the Ice Prince now stood outside his dorm room, the antidote to the poison that had claimed his boyfriend in his hand. Severus had recognised the signs as some sort of emotional stimulant and so he'd brewed the antidote, which was designed to nullify the effects of any mental or emotional stimulants in the body. It was useful for those who'd accidentally ingested something they were allergic to or something that heightened senses such as adrenaline and, in some rare cases, hormonal responses.

However, as he held the potion in his hand, Draco felt a little scared as he considered what Harry had said to him: the rage and spite may have been potion-induced, but every magical outburst and command was based around will and belief. Did Harry really believe, inside that he would have Draco turn his back on him?

No, Draco loved him and, though he'd disagreed with Harry's plan, a night's sleep by himself and the worry that had eaten away at him concerning his lover's safety gave him a decision: Harry was right.

He deserved his revenge and, if toying with Umbridge and the Ministry's wishes was the way that he would get that revenge, then, by Salazar, Draco would be there and stand by Harry's side. Just like he'd said he would, Draco would encourage the other Slytherins to join the Squad and then, when all was said and done, he would salute or, if Harry wished, he would kneel before the new Prince of Slytherin and await his orders.

His mind made up, Draco put his hand on the door handle and opened the door, before he smiled as he looked at Harry, who looked as healthy as a horse, his lips moving in the sounds of Parseltongue; by the gods, Draco wished he could understand it, but he didn't deny how hot his boyfriend was when speaking that mystical language.

As he closed the door, Draco saw those green eyes that he had fallen in love with now look to him, before Rose, Harry's serpentine familiar and friend, slithered off her human, allowing Harry to stand. Seeing the potion in Draco's hand, Harry shook his head, a sorry smile on his face as he told him, "That's not necessary, Drake: Tom helped cleanse me of the potion and told me a charm we'll use from now on. I'm sorry I said those things; I was shocked that you stood against me, but I don't, I _can't_ hate you, Dragon: I love you."

Draco let the potion bottle drop to the ground before he crossed the room in three strides and, taking Harry in his arms, let his raven-haired lover kiss him, a scent of sickness on Harry's breath, but Draco didn't care. Caressing his lover's body, Draco parted the kiss before he told Harry, "I'm the one that should apologise, love: I was wrong to challenge your decision when I promised Tom I'd stand with you through everything. If you want to form this Squad, then we will and, together, my Raven, we'll bring down Dumbledore and all who chose to break you."

"Thanks, Drake," Harry sighed, letting his head rest on his lover's chest, the sound of Draco's heartbeat in Harry's ears making him feel better already. However, it didn't last long as Harry added, "Get whoever you can by tonight; we have a first target for the Squad and I'll inform Umbridge about it so that we can't get into trouble."

"What do you mean?" asked Draco, watching as Harry moved towards the adjoining bathroom, emerging a few minutes later looking better and smiling as he held Draco again, answering him first with another kiss, his breath fresher this time before he parted.

"The potion I ingested was botched," Harry told him, his voice laced with coldness that made Draco shiver…in a good way, "Which means that it was made by someone with a real chip on their shoulder; there's only one person that would want us broken apart so he could try and break me again. Only one student so thick-headed that he'd try this stunt."

"Weasley?" asked Draco, watching as Harry stepped back, hissing in Parseltongue to Rose, who slithered up his arm and coiled around his neck.

"Yes," Harry replied, turning back to Draco as he commanded, "Get who you can, Drake…and bring him to me!"

Whether it was meant as a joke or as sincerity, Harry didn't care; however, he did laugh when Draco dropped to one knee and, bowing his head, gave his lover his answer.

"As you command, my Prince!"

**Chapter 6 and Harry has revenge on his mind and fire in his soul with this attempted sabotage against him: will he be swift and merciful or cold and hard against his saboteur?**

**Also, what will Sirius and Remus say when Harry reveals his new self to them?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: The Squad make their debut with a little revenge play from Harry and trouble from Draco; plus, with the Holidays approaching, Harry makes a choice concerning his honorary family, but will he regret his choice or will this be the birth of a new era?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: The title of the chapter was inspired by the poem **_**Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night;**_** I don't know why I used it, but there we go…**


	8. Quoth the Raven

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: I consider that a really encouraging comment coming from you, Storm;**

**T4: I haven't revealed much in the ways of Harry's power, but I may perform a little test in the holiday period;**

**Harryhermionealways: Harry is their general and they are his army: it will not be a one-minute battle; I can promise you that;**

"_Weasley?" asked Draco, watching as Harry stepped back, hissing in Parseltongue to Rose, who slithered up his arm and coiled around his neck._

"_Yes," Harry replied, turning back to Draco as he commanded, "Get who you can, Drake…and bring him to me!"_

_Whether it was meant as a joke or as sincerity, Harry didn't care; however, he did laugh when Draco dropped to one knee and, bowing his head, gave his lover his answer._

"_As you command, my Prince!"_

Chapter 7: Quoth the Raven, Nevermore

While Draco was head-hunting amongst the Slytherins, Harry sent word via Dobby to Neville, Luna, Fred and George to meet him in the Room of Requirement before their evening meal; with his boyfriend away on business, Harry felt a little cold, but when his allies joined him, the warmth soon came back as they gathered in their room.

Seating himself upon the throne – and silently wondering if the Room was a bloody mind reader – Harry faced the famed foursome before he spoke, "Yesterday, after my Defence lesson, Professor Umbridge approached me and asked me to form a group that stood against Dumbledore and the lies of the Light."

"And you want us to join this group, don't you, Harry?" asked Luna, smiling her innocent smile as she told him, "You want us to stand with you against the phoenix and against those that break your strings."

"Might have guessed you'd see right through me, Luna," Harry laughed, before he nodded as he added, "But she's right: in short, I'd like you to join this group, but, before you do, I have a little test: to see just how committed you are to the new me."

"You already know our answer, Harry," Fred told him, both he and George kneeling before Harry.

"What are our orders, my Lord?" asked George, both of them bowing their heads to their master; secretly, there was a part of Harry that liked this.

"A little project and a little revenge," Harry told them, keeping his face straight despite the need to laugh at the undying loyalty of his friends, "Namely against your pain-in-the-ass brother and anyone else that worked with him."

"Why?" asked Neville, noticing that Harry's hands were curled into fists as he spoke.

"Yesterday," Harry explained, his voice growing cold with anger, "Your brother, Ronald Weasley, tried to poison me against the one I love with a potion known as the Eragia Potion: the Draught of Rage! I yelled at Draco and told him that I didn't need him and, for that, I spent most of this morning hawking my guts up and trying to rid my body of the curse inside me. Now, I don't know why Ronald did what he did after everything he's already done to destroy me, but I'm sure as hell going to find out: also," he added, his voice now edged by suspicion, "I'm going to find out how he did it when he's meant to have been suspended."

"It seems that we may have been wrong," Draco's voice called out, Harry feeling a lot better now as his lover walked through the door into the Room of Requirement, "It's only been a week, but the old bastard managed to find a way to get Weasley back; he'd lost his badge and his spot on the team as well as two hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor. His family still have to pay for the cost of what little there is to replace, but…he was back yesterday and it looks like he came prepared."

"But that Dead Man Walking can't even brew a Wiggenweld Potion," Neville argued, smiling as he saw Draco take his rightful place at Harry's side, his arm sliding down to the raven-haired Slytherin's shoulder, the touch of the dragon helping to soothe Harry's nerves, "So how did he manage to make even a botched Draught of Rage? That's NEWT level stuff and it takes a month to brew because of certain ingredients, such as freshly-ground hellebore and newt's tails collected at the new moon."

"Someone's done his homework," laughed Draco, but Harry's eyes narrowed as he rose and, approaching Neville, he stopped before his former dorm-mate, his eyes looking deep into Neville's.

"How _do_ you know that?" he asked, his hands at his side while the others watched.

"I may not be that good in Potions," Neville explained, knowing why Harry was so suspicious, "But when it comes to preparations and gathering of the ingredients, it's there that I have my strengths. I know of the Draught because of a little project I was doing for Professor Sprout to get my OWL grade up a little more."

"And," added Draco, his voice carrying to Harry, "As knowledgeable as Neville is, Harry, we both know he'd never betray our cause: he said it himself that he stands with you, Light or Dark."

"But a weasel doesn't work alone," Luna piped up, Harry now turning to her as she spoke with an almost trance-like tone, "There will always be another who wants to break a bond so that the heart can be claimed."

"Ginny," the twins chorused, Harry now feeling the sense of betrayal that he recognised from his first days in the dark; glancing to them, Harry listened as Fred explained, "She's still nuts for you, it seems."

"Though she goes around more bends than a professional Quidditch team," George laughed, Harry smirking as they looked back to him.

"She was learning from Mum about potions and potion-making since she was a little girl," Fred continued, speaking clearly to Harry, "So she'd know about this one if it was necessary and, given your defection to Slytherin and alliance with Draco, she'd see it as necessary."

"So Ginny tells Ron about the potion," Harry scowled, his voice laced with malice, "He brews it at home, with help from Mummy-dearest no doubt and then makes it so he's the victim and Dumbledork kisses his boo-boos better. He thinks it'll weaken me when, in truth, it's only made me that much more determined to bring him down."

"And you'll have help," Draco pointed out, taking Harry's hand and leading him back to the throne, he sat his boyfriend down before he explained, "I've got a few of the Slytherins that I know we can trust to help out: for now, it's the likes of Davis, Greengrass, Nott, Zabini, Montague, Carrow and Warrington; which also means we'll have deniability on our side if we're caught. I'm the Slytherin Prefect as is Montague and Greengrass and, on top of that, I doubt Severus will sell us out if anything goes wrong."

"That's good then," Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead as he added, "All right, here's how it'll work: Fred, George, I need you two to work on your siblings while I make my own plans for them. Either make it painful or embarrassing, I don't much care; in the meantime, Neville, I want you to find out if my former friend, Hermione Granger, knew anything about this and, finally, Luna, I'd like you to speak with the Ravenclaws about joining up."

"What about the other Gryffindors?" asked Neville, Harry looking thoughtful as the prospect of some more Dark Gryffindors was just too delicious to pass up.

"Speak to Seamus and Dean," Harry told him, his voice still holding that edge of command, "After that, I don't know: anyone you can think of to join us; get them! It's time we take back the night and bring Hogwarts back to some real order around here; now, Professor Umbridge will want everyone interested to meet her, so I'll arrange a time and place, but, in the meantime, keep your eyes open and your mouths shut."

"Yes boss," the twins laughed, earning a laugh from Harry and Draco as the two left to plan their leader's revenge.

"I'll start working on the others, then," Neville told him, before he nodded his head at Harry as he added, "And, for the record, I meant what I said, Harry: I'm yours; light-side, dark-side, it doesn't matter to me: command me and I shall obey your wishes. Consider it a thanks for finally showing me the warrior inside me."

"Thanks Neville," Harry smiled, watching as Neville left the room, leaving just Harry, Draco and Luna, the lesser then asking, "He's the new Prefect, isn't he?"

"Yep," Draco replied, before he laughed as he added, "Not like it matters since the Squad have Head Boy and Girl-like privileges."

"No," Harry told him, pointing between the two of them, "_We_ have Head privileges; the Squad all have Prefect's privileges and, speaking of Prefects, I think I know one person whose dread and darkness we can nourish: what do you say, Luna-girl?"

"Death can be a release, not a punishment, Harry," Luna smiled, as if she knew where he was going with this, "But when it affects a life, it binds them to others in ways that can never be forgotten."

Harry just laughed as Luna seemed to figure out his plan, which was good for him as the intended target was someone that Luna could work on; Turn his worst nightmare into his newest of ally;

That was how the Inquisitorial Squad would be built: on the shoulders of a dark and confident leader that would lead Hogwarts back to an age of true magic…

_**BrokenStrings**_

It was two days before the twins' idea of revenge was revealed to Harry; when he woke on the morning in question, he found a note written to him and left on his pillow. As Draco approached and greeted Harry with a good-morning kiss, Harry read the letter;

_Our Lord_

_Showtime at breakfast; not a full revenge, but an appetiser before the main course._

_This should teach him not to mess with you;_

_Your Demons_

"Fred and George?" asked Draco, earning a nod of the head from Harry before the Ice Prince added, "Guess we should get a move on then."

"Hm," Harry reasoned, enjoying the company of his boyfriend as he added, "Wouldn't want to miss the show."

_**BrokenStrings**_

Giving the other Slytherins the heads-up to expect trouble at breakfast, Harry sat in the centre of the table, his eyes on the Gryffindors as he waited for whatever would come next. For a time, nothing actually happened, before there was a loud array of hooting and, as everyone looked up to see who had received mail for the morning, the awe of the owls' arrival was cut off by a heavy sound of splattering, which was followed by a cry and then…silence.

Every head in the room had turned to the Gryffindor Table and, as he looked onwards, Harry felt like he couldn't keep his amusement held in: the Gryffindor Table were cowering behind shielding charms that had obviously been conjured by Neville with the same happening to Luna. However, in the centre of the table, their mouths agape and their eyes wide with horror, Ron and Hermione were covered, head-to-foot, in owl shit, the eyes of the Muggleborn know-it-all making Harry feel better already.

Then, before Harry could manage to hold it in another second, a loud laugh started from down the Slytherin Table and soon, the entire Hall had cheered, jeered and laughed at the misfortune of the two ex-members of the Golden Trio.

"Priceless!" exclaimed Blaise Zabini, Draco stifling his own giggles while he held Harry close, the Silver Prince now roaring with laughter against his boyfriend's robes.

"Nothing more than they deserve," Tracey Davis agreed, the other Slytherins laughing and making comments of their own that only became cruder and cruder with time.

"What do you know?" asked Harry once his laughter had subsided, "For all their bravado; they really are just talking a load of crap!"

His remark earned a fresh roar of laughter from the Slytherins before Draco picked up the conversation, "And this is just the beginning; we're going to have a meeting; tonight in the Common Room; anyone not there will not be allowed to know of the information that we share."

The Slytherins knew that Draco was being deadly serious about that instruction…

_**BrokenStrings**_

Amidst laughter, cheers for the actions and wishes of their new Prince and constant wondering as to what came next, the Slytherins gathered in their Common Room, a few of them then surprised to see their Silver Prince escorted not only by Draco, but two red-heads that were _very_ familiar to some of them as well as a blonde-haired fourth-year and the Squib-wannabe Longbottom. Unlike the Slytherins, Harry didn't seem fazed by this; instead, he moved to the head of the group and, looking to his small circle, he cleared his throat before he began to speak.

"Thank you all for your rather well-put reactions to what I consider Stage One of my revenge against those who think they can break me; but I am not here to act like some kind of big-head…not yet anyway," he added, much to the amusement of the Slytherins. Glancing once to Draco, Harry let a smile cross his face before he continued, "Now, as to the reason that this meeting was arranged, I have a proposition that I only hope the fine House of Slytherin will answer. Professor Umbridge has been hearing rumours run rampant through Hogwarts considering…" he paused before he glanced to his circle; only Luna nodded her head to show that Harry could say it, so he did. "…The Dark Lord's return to power; now, while I have no real desire to challenge what has been a vindictive and horrendous act against my honour and my pride, I want you all to know that my so-called obedience to the Toad is nothing more than a mask."

"How is it that you call him the Dark Lord?" asked Theo Nott, Harry glancing once to the weedy-looking boy before he smiled a shark-like smile as he gave his answer.

"Why do you think?" Harry asked, watching as the Knut dropped for practically every member of Slytherin; at his side, the circle watched with rapt attention, though Harry did notice that Neville's fists had suddenly turned white with how tight he was clenching them. Deciding to deal with that later, Harry continued, "That's not important, though: all you need to know is that he is displeased as to how I was harmed by her and, like me, wishes for her blood. To accomplish this, I have to make sure that I strike when she least expects it, which will be in due time. In the meantime, I have agreed to build what is known as the Inquisitorial Squad, an army of shadows and spies that can silence these rumours and take care of any trouble-makers, like the crap-mouthed Weasel and his Mudblood girlfriend."

"And who leads this army?" asked Pansy Parkinson, her shrill voice cutting through Harry as much as Umbridge's sickly-sweet voice did, "You? A mere half-blood who doesn't belong here?"

"I think you'll find that you should choose your words more carefully, Puginson!" Harry snarled, letting his magic out and, as he did so, he sent Pansy flying through the air, coming to land against the Slytherin noticeboard where Harry's magic then caused her clothes to itch with the bites of a thousand fire ants. Amidst her whimpers, Harry continued, "I am no _mere_ half-blood, but the true Heir of Salazar Slytherin _and_ Godric Gryffindor, which means that, despite my half-blood status, I hold more power than most of you here. Now, this will be the only time I tell you this, so listen carefully: if any Slytherin here betrays me to Dumbledore, Umbridge or anyone that is not one of our kind, I will drag them before the Dark Lord and listen to them beg for mercy! I wasn't lying when I said the Gryffindor in me is dead and I won't pull any mere Stunning Spells against those who betray me like Shit-For-Brains and the Know-It-All did. Stand in my way and I'll send you through the Gates of Hell itself!"

"In other words," Draco added, moving to his boyfriend's side as he saw that Harry was more angered by the insinuation that he was a Light wizard and still a Gryffindor weakling, "I don't think there'll be any of you that deny a place in the Squad. Now, to answer Parkinson's question: yes, the Squad _will_ be led by Harry and, as proof of his leadership, we also introduce you to the first four that, along with me, have joined Harry in his mission against those who chose to see him a weakling and a loner."

Fred, George and Luna all stood by Harry's side, though Harry again saw Neville hesitate and grit his teeth before he stood on Harry's left, Draco moving to his boyfriend's right-hand side where he took Harry's hand, his touch calming the raven-haired wizard enough to continue. "Any that join the Squad will have Prefect-like powers among the students and each one of you will _allegedly _answer to Umbridge. However, after you've reported to her, you answer to me and, if anyone suspects dissention in the ranks, you'll let me know and, believe me, I _won't_ be merciful! Is that clear?"

"Yes, my Lord," the Slytherins answered, each of them glancing between the party members that surrounded Harry before they agreed to his decree.

"Now," Draco added, "As most of you know, Harry is now considered the new Silver Prince of Slytherin and someone that can get away with anything short of murder around here. Therefore, I remind you that it would be treason against your names, bloodlines and against the Creed of Slytherin to reveal any information shared in this room to anyone that is _not_ a Slytherin, save for the foursome that stand with our Prince. You've been warned about crossing him and, for those who have some…_parental_ affiliations with the shadows and their leaders should recognise that this is not a school for dunderheads anymore. Today, we begin our path towards the ultimate victory!"

"Thank you, Draco," Harry remarked, looking to the Slytherins as he added, "And I hope you can understand how serious I am about my words; I don't make threats, I make promises. Forget the old Harry Potter: he died a long time ago and in another world of chaos, lies and deceptions: I am the one and only and, even if I must shed blood to see it done, I'll see each member of the world that stands against the Dark and against us brought to their knees. Now, I do believe that it's time for some of you to call it a night, but remember…betray me like a measly Gryffindor nobody would do and you _will_ regret it."

The Slytherins had no trouble believing him…

**A shorter chapter 7, but enough of input to show that Harry's descent into darkness continues; now, with Slytherins obeying his will and his army built, how will first blood be shed for those against Harry?**

**Also, what will the end result be considering Neville's vow of loyalty to Harry? Will he choose to go back to the Lions because Harry has now revealed his darker self?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: With the Holidays approaching, Harry makes a choice concerning his honorary family, but will he regret his choice or will this be the birth of a new era?**

**Please Read and Review…**


	9. Some Sirius Decisions

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: There are a few targets I'm going after, Storm, but they're more for Harry's future followers; also, I'll keep an eye out for what you said;**

**Liube: Draco's not a TOTAL submission; he just cares about the comfort and happiness of his lover; as the story progresses, there'll be signs of equality…I hope;**

**T4: I know; it was just funny and so appropriate for them that I had to use it;**

_Our Lord_

_Showtime at breakfast; not a full revenge, but an appetiser before the main course._

_This should teach him not to mess with you;_

_Your Demons_

"_Fred and George?" asked Draco, earning a nod of the head from Harry before the Ice Prince added, "Guess we should get a move on then."_

"_Hm," Harry reasoned, enjoying the company of his boyfriend as he added, "Wouldn't want to miss the show."_

Chapter 8: Some Sirius Decisions

After the Slytherins had departed, Harry rose from his chair and, going over to where his Gryffindor and Ravenclaw allies were seated, he joined them, but not before he erected a silencing ward around them, his eyes filled with dark strength as he looked to each of their faces before he commanded, "All right; spit it out!"

"Harry," Neville, as Harry had half-suspected, was the first to respond, "I'm…I'm sorry for how I acted back there, but what I don't get is why you never told us that…you were with…with him?"

"We weren't ready to know," Luna answered, knowing that Harry wasn't angry with Neville's questions; in fact, she'd bet that he was more disappointed than anything else, "Harry wasn't the one to reveal all because even the best player keeps some cards close to the chest, don't you, Harry?"

"That's right," Harry answered, looking to his friends as he addressed the matter, "And yes, as Neville and most of the Slytherins have figured out, I have joined his side: I've been in his presence and in his mansion: where do you think I went when I ran away?"

"The King Cobra protects his nest well, doesn't he?" asked Luna, earning a smirk from Harry as well as a nod of his head.

"Luna's right," Harry then added, looking to Neville as he explained, "I told you once before that there would one day be a price for your loyalty: well, here's that price: so now, Neville: I ask you one more time: are you with me or against me?"

"Harry," Neville gasped, his eyes wide as he looked to his friend, his heart racing as he saw the raw power behind those eyes, "I…I would never…I stand with you, of course, but…it's just: think about what he did; to you, to me, to many families. Are you just going to forget that?"

"Of course I'm not," Harry replied, his voice laced with anger that was threatening to erupt at any moment, "But I've had Hogwarts turn against me; my best friends stabbed me in the back like Brutus to Caesar and then they destroyed some of my most precious items in a blind ploy for revenge. No, Neville, I'm not going to forget what Tom did to families worldwide, but I can't change that: just like I can't bring my parents back from the dead. That doesn't mean that I have to go out on some one-man crusade to burn his flesh to ashes and scatter them to the four winds before I'm finally able to live my life."

"I get that," Neville remarked, his eyes narrowed as he asked, "But what I don't understand is why you feel the need to side with…with him before you can live your life? All that road does to you is lead you down a one-way street straight into the walls of Azkaban Prison; why…"

"Because with him, I stay alive!" Harry snapped, unable to hold in any emotion any longer; as he said the words, he lifted his sleeves, revealing two bare arms that were clearly devoid of the Dark Mark. Brandishing his arms in front of Neville, he asked, "Do you see any Dark Mark on me, Neville? No and do you know why? Because I'm on his side, but I'm not his slave or his servant or anything like that; no, what I am to him is something far greater and far more important than all the raids he's ever performed."

Neville was silent, though he was also stunned as Harry, returning to his seat, continued, "While I'm with Tom, I'm alive, I'm safe and I'm happy: he gives me anything I want and, should I ask it, he'll teach me everything I need to know about magic. He doesn't hurt me; no, strike that, he _can't_ hurt me and he won't; he gives me the free reign of his home and the Slytherins in this House; he encourages me to become more powerful and, when I needed him, he risked capture and an encounter with Dumblefuck to come out and collect me from Hogsmeade Village."

"And…why does he…do that for you?" asked Neville, watching with bewilderment as he noticed that neither the Twins nor Luna were making any attempt to argue against Harry: they truly _did_ stand with him; they were his warriors and his friends…but there were some questions that needed answering.

"I…I can't tell you," Harry answered him, his eyes looking to Neville now as he explained, "I trust you, Neville, but I need to know that you'll keep my secrets: the fealty vows that the Twins swore to me ensures that they can and Luna's more than capable of protecting her thoughts and things she doesn't want people to know. But you; you could be called upon and used against me: you could be forced to spill all of your secrets and reveal everything you know about me. I'm taking a risk in just revealing this secret to you, but I'm doing it so that you know that, no matter what happens from here on in, you'll have no reason to fear me if you stand with me. Stand in my way…and it would be a good idea to run in the other direction."

At that moment, Draco returned from the boys' dormitory and, seeing his lover in such pain, he moved to Harry's side, putting his arms around the boy's waist as he hugged him from behind; while Harry laid his head upon Draco's chest, the Silver Prince asked, "What happened?"

"Neville's not sure whether he's with or against Harry just because he's with Voldemort," Luna answered simply, moving to Harry's side before she dropped to her knees and sat beside him, her hand in his as she told him, "And I don't care, Harry: you don't see Loony, you see me and you respect my gift. For that, I am yours and I'll stand with you to the very end."

"And we can't betray you…"

"…even if we tried."

"Because of the vow we swore, little brother," the Twins told Harry in their unusual way, earning a soft smile from their leader while Draco, slightly annoyed at Neville's betrayal of his loyalty to Harry, just glared at the Gryffindor.

"So you choose to be just like Weasley and the Mudblood because Harry's revealed who he really is?" asked Draco, the Slytherin-favoured term surprisingly ineffective to Harry as he looked to Neville, "You choose to try and break Harry again when he risked everything in revealing his true colours to you: I thought you stood by him to honour the alliance between your families?"

"I do," Neville told Draco, watching as Harry settled into his boyfriend's embrace, "But…he…You…"

"The Dark Lord?" asked Draco, looking to Harry, who nodded as though he knew there was no other way, "Yes, Neville: he kills people; he torments them and he has Harry on his side, but do you know why? Tell me, Longbottom: have you ever heard of a Sire's Bond?"

"Yes…" Neville answered, watching Harry warily as he seemed to become hard and cold; as though this was a real test of Neville's loyalty.

"And do you know what a Sire's Bond involves?" asked Draco, "Specifically, what can't ever happen between the two who share the bond?"

"They can't hurt one another without inflicting pain on the other," Neville explained, looking to Luna, who seemed to be saddened by his words, "They can share thoughts, emotions, magic and strength; also, the Sire is responsible for the health and safety of his ward or charge and such a bond can only be triggered through…"

"The transfer of blood," Harry finished, lifting his right sleeve once more and, almost as though he was reminiscing, he traced a thin line over the skin of his forearm, "And the unity of a soul only strengthens the bond: do you see it now, Neville? I sided with him to stop others using this bond to bring about my death or his, which, in turn, would…"

"Would kill the other," Neville remarked, the penny finally dropping for him as he asked, "So, what are you, Harry? Light? Dark?"

"There is no good or evil," Luna informed him, her voice laced with that same trance-like state that she'd been in back in the Room of Requirement, "There is only power and those too weak to seek it!"

"Poetic," Draco smirked, watching as Harry settled back into his embrace, "And true of Harry: the Bond is real and it exists between him and the Dark Lord; that's why he sheltered Harry and released his magical potential so that Harry is the proud, powerful leader that you've seen him to be in the past few days. Through the Dark Lord, Harry has embraced a power that others would have him fear and, more than that, he also had the means to set Sirius Black free from his flight from the Ministry. Now, with the assistance and the go-ahead from the Dark Lord, from Tom, Harry has the means to finally have the life, family and the future that he chooses to have: the fact that he sides with Tom because of this; nothing more than a twist of fate that nobody will see coming. Harry's not a Death Eater, nor is he a Dark Wizard; he's just Harry: the snake in lion's clothing; the Chimera and, since he's joined Slytherin, he's become the new Silver Prince and I'm happy to see him happy."

"Tom protects me," Harry explained, finally speaking after calming himself down, "He is willing to give me anything I want and he treats me like a person and not a walking martyr or an annoyance in someone's life: I don't kneel before him and I certainly don't do his bidding. I'm precious to him and his protection, his company and yes, Neville, his friendship: these things are precious to me. So, now I hope you can understand why I'm so intent on stopping anyone that stands against me."

Neville was still stunned at the revelation that Harry, the so-called Golden Boy of Gryffindor and Boy-Who-Lived, was involved in a Sire's Bond with the one that had brought his life crashing down around his ears. Looking once more to the other members of the circle, Neville took a _very_ deep breath before, drawing his wand, he asked, "Harry, can you hold out your wand for me?"

Drawing his wand, a look of confusion crossing his face at the actions of his former dorm-mate, Harry asked in response, "What are you doing?"

"Paying my price," Neville replied, linking his wand with Harry's as he exclaimed, "I, Neville Franklin Longbottom, Heir and Scion of House Longbottom, Son of Frank Thomas Longbottom, do hereby call upon the magic of my family to bind my services, my allegiance and my loyalty to Harry James Potter, Heir of House Potter and Heir of House Gryffindor and House Slytherin. As long as my heart beats and as long as he commands it of me, I vow never to betray his secrets and to fight by his side in the coming days, weeks, months and years of trials that await him. By the magic of House Longbottom, I pledge my mind, body and soul to his cause with the knowledge that, in betrayal of this oath, I forfeit my future Lordship to him unless my Liege-Lord releases me or death shall take me. So mote it be!"

"So mote it be," Harry replied, watching as Neville's wand lit up with a bright auburn-coloured magical flash that travelled down into Harry's wand where it met a red and gold flash; as the two collided, their resulting magic shot from the linked wands and entered Harry's heart where the young Slytherin felt a rush of warm magic pass through his body before everything went still once more. Glancing to a stunned Draco, Harry asked, "I'm guessing he just did something big?"

"Yep," Draco answered, watching as Neville retracted his wand and, rising from his seat, he stood by Harry's side in a manner similar to a bodyguard, "Neville just swore his entire future to your cause, Harry: the vow he just swore is usually saved for the Head of certain Houses when a bond of brotherhood is forged between two parties. In this case, House Longbottom and House Potter: however, with the added vow that he will do whatever you ask him to do, Neville's just made himself your knight and Champion and he cannot disobey your orders or go back on his vow unless he wishes to lose his magic and his right to be someday known as Head of House Longbottom. A bit extreme, but given what we've just revealed, I think it makes sense."

"Can such a vow be reversed or removed?" asked Harry, Neville answering his question this time.

"Only by your word, Harry," Neville told him, giving a soft smile as he added, "I know you don't like people calling you Master, so I won't; anyway, when you choose to reverse the vow, it can only be done by your decree. I did this so that I will never forget the friendship and honorary kinship that's shared between our families; besides, I told you that I'd do anything you said and, by my own fears and doubts, I nearly betrayed _that_ promise, so this was my only way to make it up to you."

"Well thank you, Neville," Harry sighed, rising from his chair as he placed a hand on his new Champion's shoulder, "And even without the oath, I knew that you wouldn't really go against your word: you're not a coward; you're a warrior and, for what it's worth, I think your Father would be proud of you."

Neville just smiled, inclining his head to Harry as the young Slytherin then added, "By the way, since we're now an official court, I think it's time Draco and I introduce you to our little hangout."

"We'd certainly love to see it, wouldn't we Gred?" asked George, laughing at the look on Neville's face from what Harry had said.

"A place that even we didn't know about," laughed Fred, "I would have to agree with you there, dear Forge."

Laughter was soon shared between the court as Harry led them to the hangout;

Though he silently promised himself that, when the time was right, he would release Neville from his vow and see him as a real warrior and friend…

Not that he didn't do that already, of course.

_**BrokenStrings**_

'_Really? That's very interesting, Harry._'

'_I know, Tom,_' Harry answered after telling his guardian about the events of the past few days, '_I understand that Neville, the son of two Light parents, like me, was shocked into submission about me being dark. However, I never suspected that even he'd do something _that_ big to prove his loyalty to me._'

'_Such is the price of loyalty that many are too afraid to pay,_' Tom reasoned, his voice calm as he spoke with his charge, '_And, between you and me, Harry, I suspect that the reason that young Longbottom was afraid of your alliance with me is something similar to your doubts concerning Remus Lupin and Sirius Black._'

'_Yeah,_' Harry agreed, '_I've already made plans to speak with him before the last Hogsmeade weekend before Christmas; Neville, I mean,_' he added, sensing Tom's confusion about his statement, '_On the next weekend, I'll be speaking with Sirius and Remus about this, but I'm going to need your help._'

'_And you know that you'll have it, little one,_' Tom informed him, his voice now edged with curiosity as he asked, '_Why do you need my help?_'

'_Since Sirius was freed,_' Harry explained, his emotions showing the worry that he'd felt, '_I've heard nothing from him: being his godson, I'd have thought that I would be the first priority for him given his friendship with my Father. But I've heard nothing: no owls, no Floo visits, nothing: so I'll need your support if anything…anything goes wrong._'

'_I'll do whatever you want me to if it means you're still the same happy, grey-allied soul that I've seen you become, Harry,_' Tom reminded him, a sense of comfort being held around Harry as he remained sat on his bed in the Slytherin Dormitory. '_I won't let Black threaten you…and neither will Draco, Lucius or Severus: we'll be right here with you._'

'_Thank you, Tom,_' Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes with an air of fatigue as he told him, '_I'm going to say goodnight then._'

'_Sleep well, little snake,_' Tom replied, before Harry closed the bond and, opening his eyes, looked to Draco, who was worried for his boyfriend given the way that Harry had said he needed to inform Tom of what had happened.

"What did he say?" asked Draco, sitting next to his boyfriend and, taking Harry's hand, kept his strength there so that Harry felt comfortable once more.

Instead of accepting the comfort, Harry became the King that he had been transformed into by the Slytherins as he looked to Draco's grey eyes before giving his answer;

"We have work to do."

_**BrokenStrings**_

With permission from Professor Umbridge and Professor Snape, Harry managed to get the other members of his court into Slytherin House where the boys shared the dorm of the Silver Prince while Luna, at Harry's request, was watched by Tracey Davis and the Greengrass sisters. As he'd expected, there were some members of the Snake Pit that didn't like the fact that the so-called Loony Lovegood was sharing their House, but, when Harry heard of this, he reacted by invoking his right as Commander of the new Inquisitorial Squad and assigning them detentions with Professor Umbridge.

As for the Squad in general, their impact was soon felt within the walls of Hogwarts as certain members of other Houses soon found surprise detentions heading their way for trying to raise the flag of rebellion within Hogwarts and, on the one occasion that one of these students tried to challenge Harry's authority, it came out in a duel that had the offending party, one Zacharias Smith, taking a trip to the Hospital Wing. Pretty soon, the other Houses, even the Gryffindors, began to realise that this squad was not only legit, but their leader was anything _but_ the Golden Boy of Gryffindor.

On the Wednesday before the end of term, Harry was surprised when he received his first-ever letter from Sirius, which stated that he was invited to Grimmauld Place for Christmas, though the letter was only fuelling Harry's fire when he read that the disloyal traitors, better known as Ron and Hermione, were also going to be there. Sending a reply with Hedwig, Harry asked Sirius to have him and Remus meet with the Silver King of Slytherin in Hogsmeade in three days' time. This also gave Harry a chance to pass a message to Neville as he told him, "Meet me in the Hangout after lunch, would you, Neville?"

Travelling to the Hangout alone, as he'd asked Draco to let him handle this meeting alone, Harry felt an air of pride when he saw Neville waiting for him, his posture as strong and full of loyalty as he had been the day he'd sworn to do what Harry needed him. Harry had then been reminded that, in that encounter, Neville had said that even if Harry went dark, Neville would still be there to stand proudly at his side as his friend and warrior.

Therefore, as this meeting would hopefully reveal, there had to be a big reason for Neville to suddenly need to turn tail and run when Harry had revealed that he was on the side of Voldemort.

Opening the Hangout, Harry led Neville down into the room that the Slytherin Court had used as their main meeting place for a while now and, once they were secure, Harry passed Neville a fresh bottle of Butterbeer before he asked him, "So, now that we're alone and there's no-one here for you to be so anxious around, would you care to explain what had you going back on your word before? When you said that you would stand with me, you didn't fail to add that you would support me even if I went Dark, so why, Neville?"

Heaving a sigh, Neville sniffed once before he answered Harry, "You might want to sit down, Harry: this…this is going to be hard enough."

"Just take it slowly, pal," Harry sighed, taking his seat on the throne as he explained, "We've got loads of time; I'm not angry or even disappointed, but if I'm going to have a reason to release you from your vow, then I'm going to have to know why."

Taking his own seat, Neville took a drink from his bottle before he began to speak, "Fourteen years ago, after you defeated Lord Voldemort through unknown magic, a Death Eater named…Bellatrix Lestrange, came to my house and used the Cruciatus Curse on my parents. Before the Aurors could respond to this, she'd already damaged them way beyond repair and left me alone until my Gran managed to adopt me as her charge. My parents, like yours, had opposed Voldemort and, for the destruction of her master, Lestrange went after the friends of the Potters. For…for years," he continued, wiping his eyes to avoid tears being shed, "I've always sworn that I would take my revenge on Bellatrix for what she took from me and, when Voldemort came back, I stood with you because I believed that, through you, I could get my revenge and then my loyalty would be yours in exchange for her life. But, when you revealed that you were on his side, I was scared because I thought…I thought…"

"You thought I was the one betraying you," Harry finished, nodding slowly as the pieces started to fit together, "And, because you'd sworn to stand with me, you wouldn't have the chance to exact your revenge on Lestrange."

"Harry," Neville told him, meeting the green eyes of his Liege-Lord and honorary brother, "I'll stand with you; I'll fight for you and I'll even use the Dark Arts in your name, but I won't fight with _her:_ she took everything from me and I do understand what this bond means for you and Voldemort, but I don't want either of you thinking that, like you stand with him, I'll stand with her."

"I know," Harry remarked, keeping his emotions calm as he could understand exactly how Neville felt; it was the same way he'd felt when Tom had explained that the Bond existed between them: like he would never see justice done and be hounded by the curse of his past for the rest of his life. "And I thank you for being honest with me, Neville, but you have to be the one to understand that, although I'm with Tom now, I'm neither a Death Eater nor a Dark wizard. I just won't stand in his way when the time comes for him to do whatever he wishes to do; he protects me and, by our brotherhood, I swear I'll protect you, but I'm not a killer: a user of the Dark Arts, yes, but I'm not a killer. As for Lestrange, I ask you this: what would you do if I could give you that revenge?"

"Then I'd gladly side with him," Neville explained, "And you wouldn't have to hold back because of me, Harry: like I told you, once I've made her experience the pain that she's made me feel for fourteen years, then my life, my loyalty would be yours…not that it already is, of course."

"Of course," Harry agreed, leaning forwards in his throne before he spoke again, "Thank you for being so open with me, Neville: you have my word that none of this will leave this room unless I choose to say otherwise. You're well on your way to having the vow lifted from you and, once that's done, you can leave if you want: I won't stop you. You're a good friend, a proud son and a perfect Gryffindor: brave and true to the very end."

"Thank you, Harry," Neville replied, his cheeks turning red at the praise from his leader, "But, even with the vow gone, I won't leave your side: I swore my vow and I'll stick to it even when you choose to lift it."

Indicating the way out, Harry asked, "Would you…give me a moment alone?"

"No prob," Neville answered, leaving the Hangout and leaving Harry alone.

Once he was sure that it was safe to do so, Harry leaned back and, opening the bond, he asked, '_You hear that?_'

'_Every word,_' Tom answered, a sense of acceptance passing through the bond as he explained, '_I had a feeling that it would be something like that, Harry: and I'm guessing that you wish to help him?_'

'_That depends,_' Harry replied, his own voice now edged by his Slytherin strength, '_How much do you value the happiness and comfort that I feel as your Sireling?_'

'_You should know by now that it is the most important thing to me,_' Tom explained, his voice edged by surprise at the fact that Harry had to ask that question, '_I told you that I would give you anything you ask and I have done that ever since the Bond was revealed and your power was released._'

'_In that case,_' Harry sighed, knowing that his next words could either cement or destroy his bond and relationship with Tom once and for all, '_I'm cashing in the favour that you owe me when you first spoke with me: give this to me, Tom, and I am yours…forever._'

'_My ward?_'

'_Your ward, your heir, your apprentice…whatever you want me to be; but remember, I'm not taking your Mark because, Dark-Sided or not, I _am_ still in possession of your Horcrux._'

'_I know,_' Tom agreed, a sense of pride on his end as he asked, '_What do you ask, my young serpent?_'

'_Bellatrix Lestrange,_' Harry answered, his voice filled with dark determination, '_And any that were involved in that fated night: their lives in exchange for me and my Court._'

There was a sibilant laugh on Tom's end before he asked, '_All of them?_'

'_Neville will serve me as will the rest of them,_' Harry explained, '_But through me, they'll serve you: so yes, Tom; now, do we have a deal?_'

'_And this is what you want most of all, little snake?_' asked the Dark Lord, '_As payment for everything that has happened between us and for the sake of this bond, you choose to honour a friend and ally rather than your own selfish desires?_'

'_Yes._'

'_Very well,_' Tom agreed, Harry then aware of a new sense of amusement on the Dark Lord's end as he added, '_I have a plan to recover all those who were in Azkaban anyway: so, bring Master Longbottom and your Court to the Mansion over the holidays and her life will be his to take. You know, Harry: I knew there was a reason that I chose to go from hunting you to protecting you._'

'_Why is that?_'

Tom once more provided the sensation of comfort for Harry as the Dark Lord explained, '_Because, even when it means you using the Darkest Arts to accomplish your goals, you still think of your friends and allies: you will make a truly noble Prince, my little snake._'

Harry didn't say anything; instead, he closed the bond and, rising from his throne, he left the Hangout;

Not once regretting the decision that he'd made for his friends…

_**BrokenStrings**_

Keeping his agreement with Tom a secret from the Court was fairly easy; Harry spent the remainder of the week preparing himself for his meeting with his godfather and his honorary uncle. As additional support, Draco had told Harry that he would be there and the Court would be nearby in case of any real troubles; it wasn't that Draco didn't trust his distant relative, but where Harry and his safety was concerned, Draco was on top form for everything that was necessary for success.

Hogsmeade was in full swing with the spirit of Christmas on the Saturday that Harry chose to meet with Sirius; bundled in thick robes with his wand in a new holster on his wrist, Harry felt as calm as the snow that fell onto the ground beneath his feet. The ground seemed to crunch beneath his feet as he walked into the village, Draco then asking the important question, "Where are we meeting them?"

"I told Sirius to meet me in the usual place," Harry explained, moving through the village and out towards the mound where he'd met Sirius the year before, "If he's truly willing to see me, then he'll be here: you and I will go into the cave while Neville, Luna, Fred and George will mingle around the village here. If anything goes wrong, I've outfitted our robes with an alert charm that can be activated by me and me alone: sometimes," he added with a smirk at Draco's dumbstruck look, "I remember why I was glad I released my magic through Tom."

Climbing up to the cave was pretty difficult, especially since the path had iced over and so the trek was filled with slippery points; however, after a few minutes, Harry reached the cave and smiled as he found a campfire burning, the images of his godfather and Remus sat around the fire, both of them warming their hands against the cold.

Drawing his wand, Harry lifted it before he exclaimed, "Moony; Padfoot: it's me: Prongslet; are you two okay?"

Remus looked up while Sirius, rising from his seat, walked out to Harry and, with a smile, hugged his godson, his voice calm as he explained, "Sorry for the lack of contact, pup: my release and trial took up most of my time: can you tell me what Malfoy's doing here?"

"Play nice, Sirius," Harry answered, a note of warning in his voice as he held Draco's hand, showing his godfather the true reason for his Dragon's presence, "Draco's here because I want him to be here; if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have found the means to set you free."

"And I'm grateful," Sirius told him, his voice edged by a sense of anger that Harry picked up on: something was wrong; this wasn't the Sirius that Harry remembered. Instead, his godfather surprised him as he asked, "And would you care to share how in Merlin's name you secured my freedom and why you're a member of Slytherin? Also, would you care to explain why I had to put up with Molly screeching down my ear about Ron suffering from frostbite and betrayal of Gryffindor House?"

"Sirius?" asked Harry, his voice now showing his shock and worry at the change in attitude in his godfather, "Why…why would you ask that? After everything those two did? After all I've suffered because of them? I mean; he destroyed the album and would have destroyed Dad's Cloak and the Firebolt you gave me if it wasn't for Fred and George."

"He did what?" yelled Remus, now appearing at Sirius' side as he looked at Harry; his wolf side could smell the strong relationship between Draco and Harry and, unlike Sirius, Remus could also smell the sense of love and mate-hood between the two. "We certainly didn't know that: cub, are you okay? What did he do?"

"Never mind that, Moony!" snapped Sirius, his voice now showing his own anger as he hissed, "Lily and James would be so disappointed in your actions, Harry: siding with Death Eaters, choosing Slytherin, abandoning Ron and your friends, _lying_ about what you know to be the truth and…"

"Shut your mouth!" Harry yelled, his magic reacting to his own anger as Sirius was suddenly thrown back into the cave, his robes catching against the campfire as Harry, drawing his wand, advanced on his godfather, "What the hell's wrong with you? After everything I've risked for you; all the decisions I made for your sake: I thought you'd be happy to finally have the chance to have me as your charge, under your roof, just like you promised?"

"Like that's going to happen," Sirius laughed and that was enough for Remus to draw his wand as he added, "You're going back to Privet Drive whether you like it or…"

"_Petrificus Maximos!_"

The spell, a new hex learned by Harry's time with the Slytherins and his brief time within Riddle Manor, came from Harry's wand and struck down his godfather, Sirius' body now becoming almost statuesque as his body was covered in a granite-coloured sheen. Lowering his wand, Harry asked, "Sirius wouldn't say this, Moony: he wanted me to live with him; he said I was old enough to know the truth back in the summer. He defended me against Mrs Weasley: why…"

"I think I know," Draco answered, approaching Sirius and, kneeling down, he looked into the petrified eyes of his uncle before he rose and, with a nod, he answered, "This isn't Sirius."

"What?" asked Harry, now turning to Remus and, drawing his wand, he asked, "What was in Remus Lupin's office when I first met him there?"

"A Grindylow," Remus answered, smiling as he saw his cub's new side; he could even smell a hidden sense of darkness within Harry that the boy was keeping hidden, but Remus didn't care. It was clear that Draco was making him happy and that was all right in Remus' books; clearing his throat as he added, "And when I rescued you with the Guard from Privet Drive, I asked you what your Patronus was, to which you replied a stag, just like Prongs, your Father."

"But if this is the real Remus Lupin," Draco remarked, seeing Harry return his attention to the so-called Sirius Black, "Then where's Sirius?"

"Let's wait," Harry replied, looking to his godfather's visage as he added, "If I'm right, I think I know what's going on here; in the meantime, Remus, can you fetch Professor Snape from the school?"

"If you're sure," Remus sighed, before he left the cave, a part of him aware of the forms of Neville Longbottom, Fred Weasley, George Weasley and Luna Lovegood running up to the castle; all the while, as he made his way to the castle, Remus asked himself one question:

'Padfoot, old friend: where on Earth are you?'

**Chapter 8 and there's a surprise for everyone: Sirius isn't Sirius and Harry has cashed in his favour for someone else's benefit; well, maybe the last one isn't a surprise, but where is the real Sirius?**

**Plus, will this affect the decisions made by Sirius and Remus when Harry reveals all?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: The impostor is revealed as is the real Sirius with help from the Marauders' Legacy; plus, Neville gets his surprise and Harry keeps his word, but will Sirius and Remus be with him?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**OC Spell:**

_**Petrificus Maximos:**_** The Statuesque Hex: Immobilizes a target within a magical seal of stone-like magic until the counter spell is performed by the caster;**


	10. Breaking Point

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**T4: You mean to say that it isn't obvious? Insults Harry; goes against the Slytherins and thinks Harry's safe at the Muggles?**

**Shades22: I never really planned for any other slash pairings and, if I did, it wouldn't be those ones; besides, Neville already has a pairing in the story; sorry;**

**StormyFireDragon: It's from here on in that everything starts to fall into place, Storm;**

_Lowering his wand, Harry asked, "Sirius wouldn't say this, Moony: he wanted me to live with him; he said I was old enough to know the truth back in the summer. He defended me against Mrs Weasley: why…"_

"_I think I know," Draco answered, approaching Sirius and, kneeling down, he looked into the petrified eyes of his uncle before he rose and, with a nod, he answered, "This isn't Sirius."_

Chapter 9: Breaking Point

When Severus Snape saw Remus Lupin walk into his office, he was both confused and curious as to the reason for the Order member and honorary uncle for one of his snakes' presence, until Lupin explained to him that he was needed down in Hogsmeade and it was by Harry's request. Given the new relationship between the two, Severus agreed and followed the wolf out of the school and down into the magical village, the former Defence professor then leading Severus up a slope to the cave where Harry and Draco were waiting, the petrified form of Sirius Black lying in front of them.

"Harry?" asked Severus, noticing how Harry was being held by Draco, a look of fear in the eyes of the Silver Prince, "What do you need me for if Black is here?"

"This isn't Sirius," Harry told him, Draco nodding in confirmation to his godfather as Harry continued, "And, given your experience with this sort of thing, I was wondering if you could help us figure out who it is."

"Let's have a look," Severus replied, moving around the body, the fully-petrified state of the man before him giving Severus little comfort, which only seemed to confirm what Harry was saying: if Severus came across Sirius in any other way, shape or form, then he would have felt great satisfaction. Now, though, looking at the man and, drawing his wand, casting a few diagnostic spells on the body, Severus felt next to nothing at seeing the form of his tormentor at his mercy: maybe it was because he'd made his peace with Harry or maybe, like Harry had said, it was because this wasn't Black: Severus didn't know.

"Well?" asked Remus, Severus shaking his head at the werewolf before he pointed to Sirius' body.

"Harry's right, Lupin," he explained, moving to his student's side as he spoke, "This isn't Black: it's a good likeness, but there are traces of magic at work here as well as what appears to be a potion."

"Polyjuice Potion?" asked Harry, looking to the impostor's corpse of his godfather.

"Possibly," Severus reasoned, looking to Remus as he asked, "How long have you two been here?"

"Fifteen minutes before Harry turned up with Draco," Remus told him, before he nodded to Harry and Draco as he added, "And I know that Sirius, the real Sirius, wouldn't say those things because he loves you like a son, Harry. So be proud of your love for Draco: I can certainly smell the relationship between you."

"Thanks Moony," Harry sighed, before he looked back to the body as he added, "And we've been waiting fifteen minutes since Remus left us here, which would add up to half the time that the potion takes effect: Remy?" he then asked, looking to his honorary uncle, "Can…can you smell anything on him? Any scent that would give it away?"

"I never thought of that, honestly," Remus laughed, moving to the side of the body before he kneeled down and, looking to Harry, he added, "I've spent so long denying my other side's existence that I forgot my senses are sharper than most humans; hang on," lowering his head, Remus sniffed at the flesh and hair of the impostor-Sirius before he looked back up. With a confused look, he explained, "I can smell an array of scents tied to cooked food and meats as well as a strong scent of peppermint and…I don't know: lilacs?"

'Lilacs?' wondered Harry, looking to the body as he processed what he'd heard, 'Who would wear something with lilac and…wait a minute!'

Casting his mind back, Harry recalled what he'd experienced in the Gryffindor Common Room; sharing a dorm with someone for five years, you come to recognise these things; then there was Remus' point about the array of cooked foods. As if this person was someone that thought more with their stomach…and there was only one name that sprang to mind, but, as far as Harry knew, he was back at Hogwarts.

"Dobby!" cried Harry, the House Elf appearing on command as Harry added, "Go to my dorm in the Slytherin House and bring me the blank parchment that's tucked into my Father's Cloak."

Dobby, without so much as a yes-Harry, vanished with a pop, Harry looking to Remus as he explained, "I think I have a theory about what's happened and, if I'm right, I need to know now, Moony: do you stand with me or against me?"

"I would sooner be cursed to eternity with Moony's form than betray you, cub," Remus answered, the wolf then aware of a scent of relief and gratitude that seemed to come from both Harry and Draco.

"No matter what?" asked Harry, his voice filled with strength, "No matter what I chose to do; you'd be there with me?"

"To the last breath, Harry," Remus answered, before Dobby appeared and, handing Harry the parchment, Remus could only smile as he recognised the parchment for what it was.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry remarked, watching as the Marauder's Map unfurled itself, revealing the artistic outlines of Hogwarts; laying it flat on the ground, Harry looked up and, with a sorry smile, told Severus, "This is the parchment that insulted you two years ago; sorry I never told you about it, Sev."

"Even the greatest players keep some cards close to their chest," Severus remarked, Harry actually surprised as he realised those were the same words that Luna had used. With a shake of his head, he looked back to the Map and, tracing his wand over its many pages and details, he finally pressed down on one motionless spot in the dungeons.

"There," Harry exclaimed, pointing to the spot, "Ronald Weasley: no doubt performing the detention that you assigned him after nearly destroying my prized possessions; but look…above the name."

Remus looked…and Moony threatened to come out as he read the name above it: _Sirius Black_.

"Sirius is in Hogwarts?" asked Remus, Severus sharing the man's shock as Harry nodded; Remus, meanwhile, looked to the body of the impostor as he asked, "So…does that mean…"

"Dobby!"

This time, the summons came from Professor Snape, but, just like with Harry, the House-Elf appeared and Severus, with Harry's permission, told the elf, "Go to my potions' stockroom and bring me the vial of purple-coloured liquid in the pyramid-shaped vial."

"Yes Mr Snape," Dobby replied, vanishing once more, while Harry looked to Severus with confusion; seconds later, as the elf returned and handed the vial to Severus, Harry thanked Dobby before he moved to the body.

"Anti-Polyjuice," Severus explained, his voice calm as he explained, "After the Crouch incident last year, I had some brewed in case of another emergency; never thought I'd need to use it to clear the name of my hated enemy."

"Water under the bridge, Severus," Remus told the man, watching as Severus poured the vial down the throat of the Sirius impersonator; at the side of the body, which suddenly began to thrash violently, Harry had buried his head into Draco's neck, his gaze averted as he tried not to look upon the face of whoever would appear.

Stroking Harry's black hair, Draco told him, "It's all right, love: if this is who we suspect it to be, then it's a case of going to Umbridge and getting the truth. Besides, you now know that Remus stands with you; so please, don't be sad now."

With a sniff, Harry lifted his head and turned to look at the thrashing body, just in time to see black hair become red, a pale, gaunt face becoming slightly rounded and freckled and the robes of the man fall over the arms and hands of a fifteen year old boy. With Draco's comfort, Harry just _barely_ managed to restrain himself from drawing his wand as the impostor was revealed. Sure enough, the former body of Sirius Black had now changed back into Ronald Weasley, the eyes of the boy filled with shock and a sense of hatred as he was still petrified.

"Bastard!" snarled Harry, remaining close to his lover as he looked to the body of his former best friend, "And I'd bet every Galleon I have that the old fucker's behind this! Severus, can't you…you know…read his mind?"

"Not without him remembering this," Severus told Harry, levitating the body before he added, "The best thing we can do right now is head up to Hogwarts and collect the real Sirius and then, with a visit to Dolores, we'll have this dealt with officially. Remus, are you…"

"Damn right I am," Remus growled, though he moved to Harry's other side as they moved down the slope once more, the rest of the Court joining their leader as Severus made his way up to Hogwarts. While they moved, Remus added, "Harry, I swear to you that I didn't know anything about this and, if what I think you meant by your comment earlier is true, then you don't have to worry, cub: I care for you as if you were a member of my pack and that won't change. Light Side; Dark Side; it doesn't matter: Moony and I will follow, train, guide and protect you to the last breath: I promise."

"Thanks Remy," Harry sighed, letting his head rest on Draco's shoulder as they moved on up to the school.

However, as they walked through the gate to Hogwarts, Harry opened the bond and, with victory in his voice, he exclaimed, '_Tom: Remus says he'll stay with me: I don't have to lose my family._'

'_Easy, little snake,_' Tom replied, his voice actually filled with foreboding, '_There's still Sirius to deal with yet and remember that half the Blacks that he hates are on my side._'

'_I know,_' Harry agreed, before he sent a sensation of hope across the bond as he added, '_If…if he doesn't…you'll still be there for me, won't you?_'

'_You know I will,_' Tom informed him, before he surprised Harry as he closed the bond and left Harry to his thoughts.

_**ColdHeartDarkSoul**_

As the members of the Court gathered in Professor Umbridge's office, the Defence Professor giving Remus an almost disgusted glance as she entered, Harry didn't waste time as he asked, "Professor Umbridge, as a representative of the Ministry, are you allowed to issue Veritaserum to assist in getting the truth out of certain members of the community?"

"Were I a normal tutor, I would have to say no, Mr Potter," Umbridge answered, before she gave Harry the smile that he knew and loathed as she added, "However, as you know, in recent weeks, I have been awarded the post of High Inquisitor by the Minister himself, which allows me to perform certain…investigations under the authority of the Minister's office. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, Mr Potter, but I'm fairly certain that Mr Weasley is in fact down in Professor Snape's classroom cleaning cauldrons in the mundane way."

"That's just it, Professor," Harry remarked, keeping the Map a secret for now as he explained, "I have it on good authority that the Mr Weasley down there is not Ronald Weasley, but…well…Sirius Black, my godfather and the recently exonerated former inmate of Azkaban."

"Very well," Umbridge sighed, meeting the eyes of Professor Snape as she asked, "Severus, would you be so kind as to go and collect the _other_ Mr Weasley for me? We can sort this out here and now; oh and if you run into Albus, then tell him that I want him here now."

"Of course, Dolores," Severus remarked, leaving the office for a short time, Harry keeping his wand trained on the floating body of his former dorm-mate while, on his other side, Draco kept a tight hold of his hand as he didn't want Harry to reveal too much here and now.

After a few minutes, Severus returned accompanied not only by the _other_ Ronald Weasley, but the Headmaster as well as Professor McGonagall, both of whom looked surprised to see Remus here along with the two members of Slytherin. As Dumbledore met Harry's eyes, the old man tried to push a thought of innocence and this all being a big mistake into the Silver Prince's mind; however, Harry's shields got there first and Dumbledore was forced to retreat.

Rather than make a big deal out of this, Harry asked, "Professor, do you have the antidote?"

Giving the _other_ Ron the anti-Polyjuice Potion, Harry crossed his fingers and Draco held him close as he watched the body of Ronald Weasley, the non-petrified and apparently-willing Weasley, began to double over in pain, a strange hissing sound coming from within the boy before, as he looked up again, Sirius Black's calm grey eyes looked upon his godson.

"H-Harry?" asked Sirius, Harry letting go of Draco to run to his godfather, hugging him tightly as the man asked, "W-Where am I? W-What happened?"

"Polyjuice Potion, Black," answered Umbridge, the sight of the High Inquisitor making Sirius feel uneasy; however, as he held Harry, the uneasiness passed until Sirius just felt warm at being able to hold his godson in his arms. When the two parted, Sirius walked over with Harry and stood by Draco, who he was surprised, but not ashamed, to see place a gentle kiss on his godson's lips and hold him as though he was the most important person in the world.

"Who?" asked Sirius, directing his words to Umbridge, "And why?"

"That's what we're about to find out," Umbridge answered, "As according to Educational Decree Number 236, the High Inquisitor is permitted to question students under Veritaserum in light of serious offences. And I think impersonating a Noble and Ancient House's Lord classes as a serious offence: Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy, will you two admit to these events if questioned by the Minister?"

"Yes, Madam Umbridge," the two answered, Sirius then noticing the Slytherin Crest on Harry's robe; how could he have missed it?

Just how long had he been…been changed into…someone else?

Severus, who after retrieving Sirius, had also retrieved a vial of Veritaserum, handed the bottle to Umbridge before he explained, "Three drops should be enough, Professor."

Harry, seeing that it was safe to do so, released Ron from the hex that he'd been petrified in and, as soon as he was released, he started doing what he did best: yelling. "How dare you strike me, snake? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I've revealed the masked criminal for who he really is," Harry replied, meeting Severus' gaze as he added, "It's almost like some kind of Scooby Doo mystery."

Surprisingly, it was Sirius who laughed as he understood the reference while Severus merely coughed, no doubt to hide a laugh before Umbridge continued, "As High Inquisitor, I hereby charge you, Mr Weasley, with aiding and abetting in the identity theft of a noble House Lord; as is my right, you are to be questioned under Veritaserum and you will answer the questions asked."

"Screw you, Toad," Ron hissed, before he grimaced as he added, "Not that anyone would with _those_ looks; the only way you'd get a decent date is the same way as the faggot here: someone of the same sex."

"You will be silent, Weasley," hissed Malfoy, noticing Harry's grip on his hand suddenly tighten, "Remember, or I guess you won't, but as co-Head of the Inquisitorial Squad, I have Head Boy privileges and it will give me great pleasure to place you on academic suspension. But I think we'll save that for later."

Severus, pinching Ron's nose so that he was forced to open his mouth, placed three drops of Veritaserum on his tongue before, as the boy sputtered and spat, his eyes glazed over and, for the first time in his life, he was silent as he waited for a question.

"State your name," Harry commanded.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley."

"For confirmation," Harry then added, "Are you called Sirius Orion Black?"

"No."

"How did you impersonate him?"

"Polyjuice Potion," answered Ronald, "As well as a mild Compulsion and Memory charm that forced the drinker of the potion to believe he was who he was impersonating."

"How did you know how to brew such a potion?" asked Umbridge, Harry already knowing what was coming next.

"With help from Hermione Granger, my girlfriend, we brewed the potion as instructed and assisted by…mmph!"

Ron was suddenly cut off as his voice was silenced, Harry looking from Ron to Dumbledore, who seemed to tuck his hand back into his robe; with a shake of his head, Harry exclaimed, "Madam Umbridge, it seems someone hit Mr Weasley with a Silencing Charm; may I have your permission to counter the spell?"

"Yes, Mr Potter," Umbridge replied, watching as Harry did indeed remove the charm and, as she looked to Dumbledore, she seemed to share the young man's suspicions.

"Who assisted you?" asked Harry firmly.

"I…don't remember," Ron answered, his words as sincere as any person under Veritaserum; with a scowl, Harry went on.

"What were you trying to accomplish in impersonating Lord Black?"

"We would change his will so that his queer godson received nothing and was forced to go back to his Muggle relatives," Ron answered, Harry having to hold back Sirius at the insinuation, but Harry was angered by the insult. "After that, I would force Harry to stop with the laughable ploy that he's a Slytherin and, with no choice but to respect his parents, he'd drop the sissy-boy he calls his fuck-buddy and find a more respectable and normal relationship."

"I think we've heard enough," Harry snarled, his magic causing a ripple through the office that had the kittens in the photos cowering into their frames.

However, Sirius wasn't done with the little shit as he asked the next question, "Why couldn't Sirius Black remember any of this?"

"After the murderer was released," Ron answered, "And I was suspended from Hogwarts because of the gay-boy's little temper tantrum, a Compulsion was laced into a celebratory glass of wine and then, with a few hairs from me, we switched places. He had to put up with the traitor and his gang of nobodies and I lived the good life."

"Well it's safe to say that your plan failed," Harry remarked, Umbridge administering the antidote while Harry, turning to her, added, "I think it's safe to say that the fifth years will be down two members before today is out, don't you, Madam Umbridge?"

"I'm afraid not, Harry," Dumbledore argued, his eyes filled with their twinkling light as he explained, "As Headmaster, I am the only one that can issue expulsions or suspensions of any real sort and, given that the actions of Mr Weasley are through someone else's actions, I cannot condone such a punishment."

"That's fine," Harry sighed, now looking to Umbridge once more as he exclaimed, "Because, as Heir of Gryffindor and Slytherin as well as Heir of House Potter, I demand the arrest of one Ronald Weasley on the charges of identity theft and conspiring to dishonour the name of a Most Noble and Ancient House."

"And as Lord Black," Sirius added, "I second the charges and add willing use of Mind-Warping Magic to impersonate the Lord of a Most Noble and Ancient House!"

"And," added Draco, much to the shock of everyone else, "As Heir of House Malfoy, I accept the role of witness to these charges through my surrogate Uncle, Lord Black, and in the name of my Father, Lord Lucius Malfoy. With three names and five Houses as invoked witnesses, you have no way out of this one, Weasley: I suggest you start packing right now."

"And if you challenge them, Albus," Umbridge remarked, her voice filled with triumph as she saw Harry now visibly crackling with magical strength, no doubt from Mr Weasley's comments about his sexuality. "Then I _do_ have grounds to have you removed as Headmaster."

"Face it," Harry sighed, looking from Weasley to Dumbledore, "You haven't got a leg to stand on; oh, and just in case: _Expelliarmus; accio Dumbledore's wand; accio Weasley's wand; Colloportus!_"

In rapid succession, the four spells were fired off; however, as Harry caught Dumbledore's wand, Sirius and Remus noticed a golden glow surround their cub, Harry's magic now showing in the bright glow of his emerald eyes while Umbridge, moving to her fireplace, fire-called Aurors to take care of the convicted parties.

As the Aurors moved to intercept Weasley, Harry felt his anger spike as Dumbledore, meeting the boy's eyes, hissed at him, "You have no idea what you've done!"

Then, before anyone could stop him, the old man grabbed Ron and, at the same time, a plume of golden flames surrounded the duo, Harry recognising the fire as being that of Fawkes, who vanished in his traditional manner, taking Dumbledore and Weasley with him.

"A coward's retreat," Harry scowled, before he proceeded to draw his memories from his head and, casing them in a vial provided by Severus, he handed the memory to the Aurors as he explained, "Take that to Lord Malfoy; he'll know what to do from here on in."

"Of course, Mr Potter," one of the Aurors, a shrewd-looking man named Dawlish – who also happened to be one of Tom's inside sources in the Ministry's circle – answered him, taking the memory before he gave a subtle nod of his head before he added, "Madam Umbridge, I imagine that the Minister will want a word with you regarding the new Headmaster of the school."

"Actually," Harry remarked, now looking to Professor Umbridge, "I couldn't think of anyone more suited to the post than you, Madam Umbridge: a strong hand and leadership is needed here and now; what do you think?"

"I agree with that," Severus answered, Harry then aware of a look of horror crossing the face of Professor McGonagall while Sirius and Remus both nodded.

"We'll see what Minister Fudge says, Mr Potter," Umbridge told him, before she added, "Would you mind unlocking my office now? Then you may go."

"Of course," Harry sighed, unlocking the door and, in secret, concealing the wand that he'd acquired from Dumbledore; as they walked out of the office, Sirius and Remus behind him, Harry then added, "I think we need to talk anyway."

"That's an understatement," laughed Sirius, though his smile wasn't just because of Harry's point; he was also happy that, for the first time in a long time, his pup had found someone who made him feel like a human and not the little boy that the other members of the coward's forces had made him feel like.

However, Sirius wouldn't tell Harry, not yet anyway, about how he felt concerning Dumbledore's retreat: for he knew that the old man had been involved and, in his Black Family heart, the Lord of House Black had only one goal for what had happened to him.

Payback…against Albus Dumbledore;

And he didn't mean money!

**Chapter 9 and it seems that Sirius has some secret wishes of his own; can Harry use this to keep his family together?**

**Also, just how will the Marauders react when they hear the truth about their cub's transformation?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Neville gets his surprise and Harry keeps his word, but will Sirius and Remus be with him?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I hope I didn't insult anyone with the words and insults used by Ron in this chapter; I have nothing against m/m relations personally; it was just for the sake of the story…**


	11. The Hand of Fate

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**NessaFefales: You sound surprised at the actions of the Manipulative Old…You-Know-What;**

**StormyFireDragon: It's time for the adventure to take a bigger turn, Storm and this is thanks to you;**

**T4: Yeah, you seem to be losing your touch there, my friend ;-)**

**Lovebites123: Thanks, I'll be sure to remember that in future;**

**ALSO: I would like to dedicate this chapter to StormyFireDragon for his help with a key plotline for the story; further explanation at the end of the chapter;**

_However, Sirius wouldn't tell Harry, not yet anyway, about how he felt concerning Dumbledore's retreat: for he knew that the old man had been involved and, in his Black Family heart, the Lord of House Black had only one goal for what had happened to him._

_Payback…against Albus Dumbledore;_

_And he didn't mean money!_

Chapter 10: The Hand of Fate

With Dumbledore gone and Hogwarts in slight disarray with the way that things were changing, it was actually a relief for Harry and Draco to earn some downtime where they could just be themselves; as Christmas drew closer and Harry's date with destiny started to approach, things in Hogwarts began to move on. At the request of the Minister, and approval from one Lucius Malfoy, Professor Umbridge became _Headmistress_ Umbridge with a new Defence Professor being assigned to the school: namely said Malfoy Lord who, while delivering false reports of lesson progress to the new Headmistress, began teaching the students proper Defence and proper techniques for spell use and duelling.

Harry and Draco, meanwhile, had never felt calmer or more united as one than they were feeling with the passing of the times; the key reason for that, Draco knew, was because of what his raven-haired lover had discovered when they'd met with Sirius and Remus after the flight of the ex-Headmaster Dumbledore…

_Flashback Start_

Closing the entrance to the Hangout, Harry sat down upon his favourite throne while Draco took a place at his boyfriend's side, Sirius and Remus both sitting on chairs in front of Harry, who heaved a sigh before he asked, "Well, that was an interesting turn of events, wasn't it?"

"That's an understatement," chuckled Sirius, his hands curled into fists despite his amusement as he added, "Albus won't be able to go back to Grimmauld as, after I was vindicated, I made sure to lift the allowances for the Order. It must have been put into effect after I was drugged by that old fool and his little Wormtail-wannabe. As far as I know, and I'll check myself when I go back later, but as far as I know, you're safe to call it home, Harry: however, I also know that isn't what you asked me down here to talk about, is it?"

"No," Harry answered, feeling slightly scared at what he was about to reveal; however, as always, Draco was there, his hand linked with Harry's, giving him strength anew as the Silver Prince spoke up, "Actually, I want to tell you something: something that you won't like, but I don't want to keep secrets from my family, Sirius…so here it is: I've…I've left Dumbledore and joined sides with Voldemort."

Silence filled the Hangout, a low sound that was like growling mixed with heavy breathing coming from Remus while Sirius' knuckles were slowly turning white with how hard he was clenching his fists. Sensing an explosion, Harry quickly continued, "Now, before you start yelling about any sort of disrespect towards Mum and Dad or anything like that, I just want you both to know this: Tom, which is the Dark Lord's real name, has been one of two people that I've been able to trust in a very long time. He hasn't lied to me; he hasn't harmed me and, when I needed a safe place where I could be as angry, Slytherin-esque and as much of the real me as I wanted, he was there. Also," here, he rolled up both his sleeves, exposing clean flesh as he added, "Neither I nor Draco is marked because Tom gave me his word that Draco won't be marked: he belongs to me and I belong to him. There is a reason for my defection and, when you hear it, I can only hope that, if you love me as much as you both say you do, then you'll honour your word to stay by my side and join me: not Tom, but me."

"All right, Harry," Sirius remarked, his words edged by a growl that came from the fact that his teeth were clenched together, "Start talking."

"All right," Harry answered, heaving a deep breath and, looking once to Draco, he practically blurted it out, "Inside my mind there is a soul piece known as a Horcrux, which is only one half of the problem as, when Tom used my blood to bring himself back, it forged a bond between us known as a Sire's bond that basically means he can't hurt me or cause me pain unless I let him. Furthermore, he sees me as his ward and charge and will give me my heart's desire if I asked him to; soon, I've made a deal with him to become his heir, apprentice or whatever he wants me to become, but before I made my choice, I wanted to know what you thought about it, so that's why I told you and I know you'll hate me, but if it's any consolation, I didn't like this at first, but things have changed and I'm not letting go of my bond or the way that he treats me. I'll never forgive him, but I trust him enough to know that I am the single most precious thing he holds dear…and that's all."

He said it rather quickly, but Sirius and Remus were still in shock; at Harry's side, Draco bent down and stroked Harry's cheek, knowing that it had hurt his lover to spill the proverbial beans with that explanation. However, as Draco glanced to his former werewolf professor and his distant relative of a cousin, he could see that they were having some trouble believing what they'd heard.

Finally, it was Sirius that asked, "Harry…I'm not going to shout at you; I'd sooner risk my own life against Remus' other side than do anything to upset you, but…did…did you say that you and…Voldemort are…are bonded through a Sire's Bond?"

"I did," Harry replied, leaning his head into Draco's touch as he added, "And, in case you haven't figured it out, Sirius: Draco and I are lovers, which is why I say that I belong to him and he belongs to me. I felt lonely and incomplete without him and, aside from one Neville Longbottom, Draco was the first person I showed my real side after Tom and I had a talk about this."

"I'm not saying anything against that," Sirius told his godson, watching his young cousin as he added, "I could already see it in Umbridge's office that you care about him, Draco: thank you for being there for my pup."

"I'll never abandon Harry," Draco told Sirius, his voice firm as he explained, "I'll support him, protect him from his fears and be there as his voice, eyes, ears and anything else he wishes of me. In return, I have his heart and he has mine: so, dear Sirius, if you have anything to say against Harry's choice and reason for turning away from the Light, then say it now."

"I'd like to say something," Remus explained, his voice as calm as ever as he addressed Harry, "And it's this: Harry, no matter what side you fight on, I know Lily and James would be proud of you because you're fighting your own battle and not letting anyone else play ringleader. However, I do believe I told you what James would do to me if I turned away from you; so, for that reason, and that one alone, I'm with you: I won't fight you, but I will fight _for_ you."

"Thank you, Moony," Harry sighed, a smile crossing his face as he explained, "And trust me, if you're worried because of the one that bit you serving Tom, then don't be: you're my follower and my ally; if I have to, I'll sort something out so that you and Greyback never share a mission or share a room."

"Thanks, cub," Remus remarked, though Harry thought he saw a look of planning in his honorary uncle's eyes; glancing to his brother-in-all-but-blood, Remus then asked, "Padfoot: this is his choice; bond or no bond, it's what he wants to do: who are we to stand in his way?"

"I know you're right, Moony old friend," Sirius growled, before he shook his head as he added, "But…it's the Sire's Bond that worries me: I understand that Voldemort can't hurt Harry because of it, but how do we know that means he won't if the need arises?"

"Because he's had plenty of chances to do so already while I've been in his company," Harry explained, his voice filled with a defensive, almost strong-willed tone as he explained, "Tom helped turn me back into the strong young man you see before you; he released several blocks that were around my magic, which makes my lessons and my studies in magical arts easier than before. I've also discovered that I'm Godric and Salazar's Heir and can also use wandless magic to a master's level of control: if you want proof of that, then all you need to do is ask Severus."

"Well," Sirius remarked, a look of shock on his face at Harry's confession; however, he was Harry's godfather and, like Remus, Sirius also had a promise to keep, "How can I turn away from you, Harry? But like you said, I follow you and not…Riddle; I'll join you in meetings and the like, but, like Draco, I'm not Marked and I don't follow him; I'm your soldier."

"Sirius," Harry gasped, running from his chair into his godfather's arms, a laugh escaping both Sirius and Remus before Draco, wiping his eyes, nodded his thanks to both men.

"As if you actually had to ask anyway, Harry," Sirius added as a last thought, "I could never turn my back on you; no matter what the price."

_Flashback End_

And now, with Christmas so close, Harry couldn't be happier to be back in the company of his full circle of friends and followers; through the Circle, he'd sent word to Neville about a surprise for the holidays and, after that, Harry had made plans of his own. He knew that this holiday would bring about his change and his ascension to the darker sides of magic, but, for the first time in his life, Harry just couldn't care.

He was happy now and that was all that mattered: to him, to Sirius, to Remus and to Draco…

_**BrokenStrings**_

Lucius was there to meet Harry and Draco at King's Cross when the silver duo left Hogwarts for the holidays; taking the boys' hands, Lucius then whispered to Harry, "Your guardian wishes to speak with you as soon as we arrive: the surprise will be tomorrow evening."

"I understand," Harry replied, before he felt the usual pull of Apparition against his body and, seconds later, he was standing tall and proud in front of Riddle Manor, the darkness of the land around him making Harry feel both comfortable and excited at the same time. Passing through the gate, Harry walked up to the main doors and, as soon as he entered, he called out, "Tom: where are you?"

"In here, little snake," Tom's voice answered, Harry directing the source of the voice to the main lounge; moving through the door, Harry actually smiled when he saw Tom sitting there, Nagini curled up in front of the fire. Behind Harry, Draco entered and took his lover's hand while Lucius bowed once to the Dark Lord, who instructed, "Lucius: give us some privacy if you please; Harry, would you and Draco please join me?"

Lucius, closing the door to the lounge, left the two boys with the Dark Lord, Harry and Draco both moving to the chairs near the fireplace where Harry also found two wrapped parcels that were medium length and thin in appearance. Glancing to Tom, Harry asked, "Are…are these for us, Tom?"

"Yes," answered the Dark Lord, "And there is also one each for your circle, Harry: the news that Sirius Black has chosen to join you makes me happy because I know that you are happy. However, I trust that you will remember your promise to me concerning the one true favour that I will do for you."

"Once Lestrange is either dead or a vegetable, then yes, Tom, as promised, I'm yours," Harry told him, his voice calm and cold despite the happiness he was feeling, "You've changed so much for me lately and made me so much stronger that to betray my word to you would mean I've betrayed myself. But I only hope that _you_ never forget why I joined you in the first place; the bond will always be there unless you choose to break its will and try to kill me."

"And you know I won't do that, Harry," Tom reminded him, his own words calm as he stroked Nagini's scales, "However, I am pleased to see that you will indeed keep your word; now, for the reason that I called you here; first, take your seats and open your presents."

Unwrapping the boxes, Harry and Draco were surprised when they came upon two brand new wands, both of them holding no real sign of ownership or magical bonding as Tom, indicating the boxes, explained, "They are for your duties as Dark Wizards: yours, Harry, is a close match of my own: yew with phoenix feather, but this feather comes from a Shadow Phoenix: a truly dark, mutated form of the original phoenix. As for yours, Draco, it is composed of elder and the venom of a Runespoor; both have had the Trace removed and both will bond with the two of you upon the first touch."

"Thank you, Tom," Harry remarked, wrapping his slender fingers around the hilt of his new wand; like his own wand, as soon as he touched this one, a searing warmth spread through his body, making his eyes glow and the flames flicker in the fireplace. Under Harry's robe, a shocked hissing could be heard from Rose, who poked her head out before she slithered down and joined Nagini near the fireplace.

"I had almost forgotten about her," Tom laughed, Harry smirking as he saw Nagini welcome the younger serpent to her master's home, Rose following up with an introduction and a warning that Nagini was not to harm her little snake. With a laugh, Tom added, "And she is as protective of you as Nagini is of me, I see: a noble companion you have there, Harry."

Harry gave a smile before he asked, "Now, what did you want us for, Tom? It's been a long day and I'd just as soon take a long bath and a rest in my room with my boyfriend."

"Of course," Tom agreed, his own smile showing as he saw Draco move to Harry's side, their love and support for one another obviously having grown since he'd last seen the boys. "Well, here it is: do you remember when Severus and I told you the full story about the events that led up to Halloween fourteen years ago?"

"You mean the prophecy that was arranged by Sybil Trelawney concerning the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord?" asked Harry, giving a nod as he added, "Yeah, I remember; what about it?"

"It's been nullified," Tom explained, much to Draco's surprise, while Harry just looked confused, prompting Tom to continue, "What that means is that a second prophecy has been given that concerns one or more of the topics covered by the first prophecy. When this second prophecy is told, the first prophecy's ancient magic is nullified; it's basically a way of saying that the prophecy is void; fake; no more."

"What does the second one say and who told it?" asked Harry, wanting to know more; especially after the misinterpretations and manipulations surrounding the first prophecy had cost him his parents.

"It was told by a Seer in the Irish region known as the Giant's Causeway," Tom explained, his voice calm as he told his little story, "One of my followers who was on scouting duty over there heard of the prophecy and paid the gentleman a visit: he recounted his words and that second prophecy has been given to me. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes," Harry answered, Tom obliging his young ward as he drew a memory strand from his head and, summoning a pensieve from nearby, he placed the memory into the basin, an eerie, mystical voice now speaking from within the basin;

_The one of the Ancient House will team with the younger house. Together they will make changes. _

_The whiskered one will fall to the might of the pair. Though the snake is an ally, the duo will rank supreme. _

_Death will approve of the union of the two and the perversions of magic will even out and the insults will be redeemed._

As Harry and Draco looked up to Tom, the Dark Lord gave a nod as he explained, "The prophecy, as impossible as it sounds, refers to the two of you: Harry, as Heir of Gryffindor and Slytherin, you are the one of the Ancient House and Draco, as a surrogate member of House Black through your Mother and Heir of Malfoy through your Father, you are the one of the younger house. You have already _teamed_ for want of a lesser term, which implies your relationship was meant to be. Now, as for these changes, they've already started: you, Harry, have brought Gryffindors over to the darker side of magic and have brought back an outcast member of a dark household."

"The whiskered one obviously refers to Dumbledore," Harry reasoned, glancing to Tom as he explained, "And he's already done a runner when he realised that all his plans would fall down around his ears; but…the snake: does that refer to you, Tom?"

"It does," Tom answered, his voice calm despite what the prophecy was saying, "And, if it's true, then this means that you two will soon gain a level of power that far exceeds my own. Now, I don't want you to be afraid of this, Harry: I can have you taught about these powers and, as your guardian, I encourage you to use them; if you want to use them to help me, then no-one can stop me; if you want to use them to overthrow me, then I won't be able to stop you. I'll try, of course, but I won't be able to stop you."

"And what about this last part?" asked Draco, using his new wand to write the words in fire writing as he read, "_Death will approve of the union of the two and the perversions of magic will even out and the insults will be redeemed;_ what do you suppose that means, Tom?"

"The perversions could mean either the first prophecy or the abandonment I've had to face from those I called my friends," Harry suggested, earning a nod of agreement from Tom as he continued, "Or it could also mean something that Tom once told me: _there is no good or evil; there is only power and those too weak to seek it._ If this prophecy speaks the truth, then it could mean that we're meant to rise above both light and darkness and bring the world back into balance: a tough destiny, but, as Tom said, we could choose either side and…"

"And that's it," Draco suddenly exclaimed, earning a confused glance from Harry; with a smile, Draco explained, "The point is that we _can_ choose either side: if we use this great power for good, no-one can stop us; but if we use it for ill, for dark purposes, then no-one can stop us. The perversions of magic will be redeemed; well, think about it Harry: we're two sides of magic's coin: you who've been raised in good and me whose been raised in evil, in darkness. Together, we can do almost anything and, at the end of it all, we can be magic's saviours or their destroyers; it's our choice."

"As for the first part," Tom added, shaking his head with an almost confused look, "Death will approve of the union of the two; that I don't know: however, this prophecy is why I called you here, Harry. You see, because of your promise, you'll be exposing yourself as a member of my forces and, as much as it kills my darker nature to say it, I…I…"

"Come on Tom," Harry remarked, looking to his guardian, "You know I'll keep my word; what is it?"

Tom heaved a sigh before he met the eyes of the young Slytherin couple, his eyes fixed on Harry most of all as he finished his sentence; "I…don't want you to put yourself beneath me; I _want_ you to overthrow me and become the new Dark Lord!"

_**BrokenStrings**_

"Was he serious?"

"Sounded like it, didn't it?"

"But…it's Tom; I owe him so much and now…what he said…"

"Hey," Draco sighed, putting his arms around Harry's waist, his lips placing a kiss on his boyfriend's neck as they both prepared themselves for bed, "Don't get yourself so worried about it; remember, with him, against him or overthrowing him, it's our fate to become greater than we already are. At least I know now why I was so convinced that I needed to see your beautiful smile once again, Harry."

"And I know now why I wanted you around me so much, Draco," Harry agreed, turning around and, holding his lover in his arms, he returned Draco's kiss, the hands of the Malfoy Heir running through Harry's black hair as the two held one another; parting from his kiss, Harry told him, "Besides, even without the prophecy, I'm glad we decided to kiss and make up, eh, Drake?"

"Literally or figuratively, Raven?" asked Draco, before he gave Harry another kiss and, with a sigh, he added, "Anyway, we don't need to worry about that; all that needs to concern us at the moment is the path we choose to take; I mean, I get it, Harry: you're becoming the Big Bad around Slytherin and around Hogwarts and nobody can stop you. However, you can't deny that some small part of you is still that innocent shining light that I see in you, can you, love?"

"I guess not," Harry sighed, tucking himself into bed while Draco curled up next to him; reminiscing about their first night together, Harry then added, "I've missed this, you know."

"What?" asked Draco, running his fingers over Harry's pale torso, a smile crossing his face as he saw the signs of his lover keeping the promise he'd made.

"You and me," Harry answered, "Able to be together without old whiskered wankers or without wars and blind Ministries; just peace."

"And we have an entire holiday to deal with it, beloved," Draco whispered, placing a gentle kiss on Harry's neck as he added, "And I don't plan on spending one minute away from you; I belong to you, just like I told you I did. Now, enough worries about the prophecy and about what it could mean for us; just close your eyes and let's get some sleep: we'll need it for tomorrow."

"Yeah," yawned Harry, putting an arm around his boyfriend as he added, "Night Drake."

"Sleep well, Raven," Draco replied, closing his eyes and falling asleep to the gentle sounds of his boyfriend's breathing.

**Chapter 10 and it seems that, though Dumbledore is gone, the adventure isn't over for Harry and Draco; what path will they choose with the prophecy and what will Tom do when the choice is known to him?**

**Also, how will Neville react to his gift and can Remus work through Harry with the man that cursed his life?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Neville gets his surprise and Harry keeps his word, but with the prophecy on his mind, will Harry live to regret his decision; plus, generations clash as Remus comes face to face with the man that cursed him and Tom has a surprise for none other than Sirius; and, to top it all off, Harry and Draco share a few secrets with the Circle and a plan is made to increase their potential…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I would like to dedicate this chapter to StormyFireDragon for coming up with the prophecy concerning Harry and Draco; his stories and comments are always keeping my inspirational juices flowing; thanks, Storm.**


	12. Decisions in Darkness

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Other Pairings TBC…

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**MistyLuck: I hope you're impressed by the encounter then; I kept it pretty short for descriptive purposes and to show a little bit of conflict in Neville;**

**T4: You may get a showdown and, as for your request, I may put in a scene with the lesson;**

**StormyFireDragon: That was how I interpreted that last line you gave me, Storm and it also gave me a great way to continue this story;**

**Emice: Well, I'm not used to writing slash/graphic scenes and, with the recent changes to the site against such intense scenes, you have to be careful what you write; I hope the scene in this chapter makes up for your curiosity;**

"_You and me," Harry answered, "Able to be together without old whiskered wankers or without wars and blind Ministries; just peace."_

"_And we have an entire holiday to deal with it, beloved," Draco whispered, placing a gentle kiss on Harry's neck as he added, "And I don't plan on spending one minute away from you; I belong to you, just like I told you I did. Now, enough worries about the prophecy and about what it could mean for us; just close your eyes and let's get some sleep: we'll need it for tomorrow."_

"_Yeah," yawned Harry, putting an arm around his boyfriend as he added, "Night Drake."_

"_Sleep well, Raven," Draco replied, closing his eyes and falling asleep to the gentle sounds of his boyfriend's breathing._

Chapter 11: Decisions in Darkness

Harry felt like a caged animal the night after his talk with Tom concerning the second prophecy; he spent the majority of the two hours counting down to Neville, Luna, Fred and George joining him pacing back and forth in his room, his hands flexing and his green eyes filled with raw power. Next to him, knowing the dilemmas and the fears that were going on in his boyfriend's mind, Draco just watched, knowing all too well that the day would end either on an all-time high for the Slytherin Prince or on a dark note that would be like reaching the point of no return.

As the sun set outside their window, Draco finally rose to his feet and, taking his boyfriend's hand, he whispered, "Are you ready?"

"Do I have much of a choice?" retorted Harry, Draco knowing that his lover had only said those words because his mind was warped by the prophecy's meaning and Tom's confession that he _wanted_ Harry to become the new Dark Lord.

"You know you do," Draco answered, lifting a hand to brush a lock of Harry's black hair away from his eyes. Seeing his boyfriend embrace his touch, Draco smiled as he added, "Listen, you're too tense and need to relax; how about we get this done and then, afterwards, I'll help you relax?"

"Just us?" asked Harry, his voice lightened by the thought, but it still held a tone of anxiety at what was about to go down.

"Just us."

With a nod, Harry thanked Draco before he led his boyfriend out of their room and, descending the stairway, the two boys entered a large, spacious room that Tom had explained to Harry was used for his meetings with the Death Eaters, but, just for tonight, it would be used for the duties and needs of the soon-to-be Dark Prince. As Draco closed the door behind them, Harry felt mildly better when he saw that Sirius and Remus were already here, both of them seemingly in amused conversation with Tom, who raised a welcoming hand, allowing Harry and Draco to approach him.

"Hope we didn't keep you waiting too long, Tom," Harry remarked, inclining his head for the sake of presentation; Tom didn't _have _to do what he did for Harry, but he had done and, for that, Harry owed him the respect he'd earned from the reborn young wizard.

"No, you're right on time, Harry," Tom replied, indicating Sirius and Remus as he added, "Your godfather and honorary uncle here have been keeping me company while we discussed the terms of their siding with you and your siding with me."

Just between the two of them, Harry heard Tom add to him, '_You never had to worry about them, little one: I knew they'd side with you and I agree that they don't side with me. However, if you trust me, I may be able to help sway that decision so that there are no risks of dissention amongst the Death Eaters and your Dark Order._'

'_You know that I trust you, Tom,_' Harry replied, earning a subtle nod of the head from the Dark Lord before, as they finished speaking, there was a knock at the door to the throne room.

"Showtime," Draco whispered to Harry, the young Slytherin Prince taking a spot on Tom's left side, his hand reaching back to pull at a hood that he'd been asked to wear by the Dark Lord. At the same time, Sirius, Remus and Draco also pulled hoods over their faces, the visage of Tom Riddle shifting into that of Lord Voldemort as he answered the door's knocking.

"Enter," hissed Voldemort, his sibilant hiss making Harry shiver as he realised what Tom had been willing to give up by telling Harry that _he_ should become the new Dark Lord.

At Voldemort's command, Harry watched as the door opened and three figures entered the throne room, each of them kneeling before Voldemort as they reached the throne where he sat. Two figures were easily recognised by Harry as Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, both of Draco's parents having already been informed of the events of today, though they didn't know that Sirius Black was amongst the new followers that Harry would choose. All that they'd been told was that this night would be the night that Harry had chosen to cement his decision to stand with Voldemort in the battles and war that was to come.

The third figure, however, Harry only recognised from her photo in the Daily Prophet not that long ago; she had wild brown hair that was almost black in colour, the dishevelled look of her hair making Harry think that he was looking at someone that had been through the wars. Her eyes, which were a lighter shade of brown than her hair, were filled with a maniacal glee as she kneeled before Voldemort and, like Lucius and Narcissa, the newcomer was dressed in long black robes, her right arm bearing the Dark Mark.

"Lucius," hissed Voldemort, his voice carrying through the room as he addressed his three followers, "Narcissa…Bellatrix; how nice to see the core members of the Black Family reunited and before me once again. It pleases me greatly to see that you, my dear Bellatrix Lestrange, have not abandoned your never-say-die levels of loyalty towards me and my cause."

"I am your humble servant, Master," Bellatrix replied, her voice matching her maniacal glare as she sounded like she was on the edge, or just over the edge of normal human sanity, "I have waited and begged for the day when I could come before you once more, ready and willing to teach the scum of the Light and the filthy Mudblood worshippers a lesson."

"Azkaban has not changed you, dear Bella," Voldemort chuckled, his voice calm as he added, "However, if you think I summoned you here for a mission, Bellatrix then, sad to say, you are sorely mistaken. No, I summoned you here to deal with the ramifications of your actions following my destruction fourteen years ago."

"Master?" asked Bellatrix, Harry then aware of Tom's mind linking with his own and, through him, Harry felt the wards of Riddle Manor being triggered, announcing new arrivals.

Pointing to Harry, both of them knowing that the young Slytherin was ready to play his part, Voldemort commanded, "It would seem our new guests have arrived: go and fetch them, would you?"

"Yes, my Lord," Harry replied, lowering his voice and adding a sibilant hiss to his tone to hide his identity under the hood. Leaving the throne room, Harry moved towards the entrance where he smiled as he found Severus waiting with the four members of his slowly-forming Dark Order. Lowering his hood so that they could see that it was him, Harry asked, "Are you ready for this? Remember that this is the point of no return; once today is done, there is no going back."

"We swore our fealty to you, Harry," Fred explained, stepping forwards and, for emphasis, bowing at the waist to the warrior that he now called Young Master, "George and I have no desire to change our minds."

"I knew that today would come, Harry," Luna piped up, her voice as light-hearted as ever, "And I am ready to face the snake that will strike at me and make me one of its nest. Today's the day that the shadows gather around the light and, like a boa constrictor, we will suffocate them and leave them begging for mercy."

Harry and Neville were rather surprised at the dark tone in Luna's voice, though Harry did notice that Neville took Luna's hand before Harry asked him, "How about you, Neville? Today's the day that you get that surprise I mentioned a while ago; are you ready to do whatever must be done?"

"You once promised me my revenge," Neville answered, recalling how Harry had told him about a special Christmas surprise that would see his vow to Harry fulfilled; unbeknownst to Neville, Harry had released his young friend from the vow before they'd left for the holidays so, in Harry's eyes, tonight would be the biggest test of Neville's mettle. "And I said that if you gave it to me that I would be yours. So, whatever awaits me in that room, Harry, then you should know that the answer to your question is yes."

"In that case," Harry muttered, reaching into his robe and pulling out four identical robes to the one that he wore; handing them to his friends, he instructed, "Put these on and put your hood up: don't move until either Lord Voldemort or I command you to…no matter what, understand?"

The foursome nodded while Harry, indicating Severus, added, "Lead us in, Severus."

Entering the throne room, Harry had to try very hard not to turn his head in Neville's direction when he heard a gasp of rage at the sight of Bellatrix Lestrange in front of Voldemort, though the other three were more awed at being in the presence of one whom had helped transform their leader into the leader that he was.

Stopping behind Lestrange and the Malfoy Elders, Harry bowed low before he muttered, "My Lord: as you requested, we are here."

"Excellent," Voldemort laughed, his voice cutting through the others, but Harry remained vigilant as he awaited the next words, "Severus: lock the door; no-one leaves this room until I say otherwise. In the meantime, my young friend, why don't you show your face to my followers?"

"As my Lord commands," Harry began, before he threw back his hood with a showman's flourish, revealing his now-glowing emerald green eyes, "So it is done."

"Potter!" cried Bellatrix, her face twisted into a malicious smile, "Oh Master; such a gift this is: is Potty wee Potter my plaything? Is he my torment toy?"

"Not…exactly, darling Lestrange," Harry drawled, earning a snigger from Draco who was standing in the remaining spot on Voldemort's left-hand side, "There is so much that you do not know and now, as Lord Voldemort said, it's time for you to pay the price for your actions fourteen years ago. With your permission, Lord Voldemort?"

"Do it."

The two-word command was enough for Harry as he drew himself up to his full height, letting his magic pass through the room, the foursome behind him shivering as they realised this was nothing compared to the power they'd felt in Harry's presence before. Removing his cloak and revealing his darkly-dressed attire, Harry withdrew his wand before he asked, "Tell me, Lestrange: do you remember what you did fourteen years ago? Namely what you did to the parents of a friend of mine?"

"The Longbottoms?" asked Bellatrix, her face showing a smile that could have been mistaken for a look of pure bliss, "I remember; their screams were so good and so warm: they begged, of course, just like your filthy Mudblood Mother beg…"

"_Crucio!_" Harry commanded, the Unforgivable rolling off his lips with the venom of the world's deadliest serpent; as it hit Lestrange, Harry smiled coldly when he heard her scream in pain. Releasing her from the curse after a few seconds, Harry added, "I'd have kept that up; but sadly, it is not my place to punish you. You see, Lestrange, your little confession there has just sealed your fate: in exchange for my loyalty to him, my Lord Voldemort let me have one thing for one person: namely…_you!_"

"What?" gasped Neville, the sound of his voice making Harry sigh with defeat as he looked back. Turning on the spot, Harry approached Neville and nodded in response to the shock.

"Yes," Harry answered, his voice filled with determination and strength, "I did this not for myself, but for one who has shared the pain I've felt of losing family; one who sides with me in the name of friendship and brotherhood and one whom, despite what others may say, is the bravest, most powerful-in-spirit member of my circle that I have ever known…and now I think it's time for you to reveal yourself."

With the same flourish as his own, Harry pulled down Neville's hood and, stepping aside, he directed his words back to Lestrange as he added, "This is my price of loyalty, Lestrange: my loyalty to our Lord…in exchange for your life belonging not to me…but to _him!_"

Meeting the eyes of the Longbottom Heir, Bellatrix gave a cackling laugh before she asked, "Little Nevvy Longbottom, is it? I heard that he's nothing more than an accident-prone Squib that can't even cast a decent disarming spell; ah well, I guess he'll be joining Mummy and Daddy very soon, he will."

As Neville went for his wand, he was surprised when Harry, tapping his arm, handed him a box that, when Neville opened it, he found to contain a new wand, the young Slytherin then doing the same for the other members of the circle as he explained, "Wouldn't want your dark prowess being known to the unworthy, would we?"

"Th…thank you, Harry," Neville gasped, lifting the wand as he would a sword, "You…you have my…my…"

"I knew that I always had it, Neville," Harry answered him, stepping aside to allow Neville a shot at Lestrange, "The vow was removed three days ago: she's yours…to take whatever revenge you wish on her."

Stepping forwards, Neville lifted his wand and, pointing it at Lestrange, he hissed, "Let's…let's see how you like it, you _bitch: Crucio!_"

Coming from a Gryffindor, Bellatrix had expected nothing more than a bee sting; what she got in its place felt more like an entire forest's worth of stingers hitting her and pushing at every nerve in her body. As she screamed, Harry stood aside, watching with dark glee and a sense of satisfaction as he saw Neville finally getting what he had wanted: revenge.

"You took _everything_ from me!" Neville screamed, lowering his wand as he looked to Voldemort, his dark eyes filled with new fire as he added, "And now, thanks to you and Harry, I have the means to take my revenge."

"Then take it," Harry told his friend, pointing to Lestrange's weakened body, "You know that there are other spells than that one: think about everything she took from you; think about what you told me. About how you wanted to make her scream, make her beg and make her know what it felt like to lose yourself to the power."

In that same moment, Harry felt someone brush against his thoughts, though he knew that it could only be either Tom or, at a length, Severus; with the presence, Harry felt a few titbits of information being pushed into his mind, most notably a spell that could cause some serious damage. Placing a hand on Neville's shoulder, Harry whispered the spell's name and added, "Take your revenge, my Black Knight."

"Thank you for this, Harry," Neville replied, before he lifted his wand once more and, slashing it crossways, he cried, "_Sectumsempra!_"

The scream that erupted from Bellatrix Lestrange's mouth was like pure ecstasy to Neville as he saw her arm fly from her shoulder, her body trembling from a mix of pain-induced adrenaline and the fear of what she was feeling.

"She left them as nothing more than vegetables," Harry whispered, his voice echoing in Neville's thoughts as he listened to his leader, "She left you thinking you were alone, a mere Squib; she deserves this. Think about everything we've read together, Neville: the other spells and curses we've learned: use them."

"_Cremocarnis!_" Neville commanded, a strange veil of black mist flying from his wand and, as it met the flesh of Bellatrix Lestrange, the woman's screams intensified as Neville's new curse seemed to burn at her flesh, the dark Gryffindor carving what looked like a skull and crossbones into Bellatrix's flesh, his eyes filled with tears as he did the deed. Once he was done, Neville hissed, "There; what you should have been from the start you murdering psychotic bitch: marked for death, not death eating."

"And now," Harry agreed, placing a comforting hand on Neville's shoulder as he looked at Lestrange, "Finish it: do what you said you would; take her life and make her pay the price that all men and women must pay in the end."

Neville lifted his wand once more, his eyes burning madly with dark magical fury, his body tall and proud as he looked at Lestrange and, as he opened his mouth to utter the fated words, Neville…hesitated. The fire inside him that had burned with the delight and strength of his revenge was now dying out as he looked upon the weak and vulnerable body of Bellatrix Lestrange, his mind playing back what he'd said to Harry: about how her life would be the exchange for his loyalty.

But now, standing before the woman that had condemned his parents to St Mungo's and him to a life of pain and misery at the hands of everyone that doubted his power, Neville found one thing wrong with this picture: he…he couldn't do it.

"I…I can't," Neville whispered, earning a maniacal smile from Lestrange while Harry tightened his grip on Neville's shoulder, "She…she can go back to Azkaban."

"And the insolent Ministry and its sheep will only find her a life sentence," Harry reminded him, "They don't care for innocent lives or the casualties lost to wars like hers."

"But…" Neville gasped, "Like…like you said; you're not a killer, Harry; so…so how can I…"

"She'll only grow strong again," Tom hissed, Harry smirking as, when he'd said his piece about Lestrange going to Azkaban, he'd asked Tom mentally to play along. "And then who will she target? Who else will fall and lose everything because you, Neville Longbottom, right hand of the Dark Prince, were too weak to do the deed?"

"Come on now, Voldemort," Harry argued, stepping between Neville and the Dark Lord, "That's a little too far, isn't it? It's like saying who have I failed because I was too weak?"

"And yet you, my so-called apprentice, have failed only yourself," Voldemort remarked, his voice filled with apparent rage at being challenged by Harry, "As for him: who is he? A weakling; a mere pawn in this game and who will he fail? His parents, for one; his lovely Gran for another…and what about that little girlfriend of his?"

"Luna?" asked Harry, the name drawing Neville's attention back to the current situation; deep inside him, the fires lit up once more, "You think that…"

"Target those closest to your target and they end up close to death," Voldemort hissed, "And what would Bellatrix do? She would make Miss Luna scream; she would allow her brother-in-law to _have_ her or maybe even her loving husband; she would command it and they would thank her. Then, just like Frank and Alice, dear little Luna would be a broken shell…and it would be…all…Neville's…fault…"

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!_"

'That did it,' Harry thought, turning just in time to see Neville's new wand release a green light that struck down Lestrange once and for all, her bleeding corpse falling to the ground and leaving only a pool of crimson to wrap around the body while Neville, looking to Harry, saw his leader mouth the words, "Well done."

"What…" Neville looked at his hand, his new wand still appearing to smoke from the tip with the fury of the curse that he'd fired; dropping to his knees, Neville asked, "What have I done?"

With a nod to Tom, Harry approached Neville and, kneeling down, he spoke to his friend and warrior, "You're fulfilling your destiny, Neville: I'm sorry that I had to allow Tom to push you like that, but you were the one that said you would accept nothing less than her life. Don't back down from the power you've wielded today; stay with me and with our friends and I'll help you discover the real power of the Dark Arts…just as I have."

"I…" Neville gasped, a part of him shocked and almost amused at the Slytherin-worthy tactics of his leader that had forced Neville to show his true strength; meeting Harry's green eyes, he asked, "I said I was yours when she died, didn't I? Help me learn more, Harry; I pledge myself to your Dark Order, to you and to the darkness in our group."

"Then rise, Neville Longbottom," Harry commanded, helping his friend to his feet as he added, "And stand proud; your parents are avenged and your strength is growing. Now, each of you, come forwards."

Fred and George moved to Harry's side while Luna moved to Neville's, Harry smiling to himself as he saw Luna kiss Neville's cheek, the now aptly-named Black Lion of the Dark Order pulling her hood down to return the favour. Seeing Luna with Neville surprised the Malfoy Elders, though Voldemort just nodded before Harry, leading his Order to the Dark Lord's throne, gulped once before he met Tom's red eyes.

"A deal's a deal," he explained to the Dark Lord, his voice calm as he dropped to one knee, bowing his head before Voldemort as he asked, "What is your will, my Master?"

Voldemort rose from his throne, his stance as tall and proud as ever as he moved down from his throne and, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, he told him, "You don't kneel before me, little one: I did you this favour and now, as you know, it is not your destiny to serve…but to rule. If you call me your Master, then I give you this command: rise and take your place upon your throne."

Rising on command, Harry moved with strength and a small amount of shock pulling him towards the throne as he moved past Lucius and Narcissa and, reaching the throne, he looked once to Draco, who had now lowered his hood, and gave a soft smile, earning a nod of the head from Draco.

Turning back to Voldemort, who had now changed back into his Tom Riddle visage, Harry sighed before he took his seat, the throne feeling remarkably comfortable as he saw Tom approach and, bowing his head to Harry, the now-former Dark Lord told him, "You doubt your destiny, Harry, but I do not doubt your will: think of this as the ultimate revenge against me. You now take what I had as I took what you had; until you leave Hogwarts, I will represent you amongst our forces and, once you're out of school, you may do with us as you wish. But this, my little snake, is where you belong: as the alpha male, the Apex Predator, the one true Dark Lord."

"I…I guess you're right, Tom," Harry replied, sitting up straight as he looked to the others, each of them now waiting on his commands; indicating Sirius and Remus, Harry then added, "You…you may as well reveal yourselves as I count each member of this room as a member of _my_ Inner Circle, my Black Knights; so, show yourselves."

Fred, George, Sirius and Remus all lowered their hoods, their identities surprising Lucius and Narcissa as Sirius, approaching his cousin, gave her a smile as he told her, "Surprise Cissa; I'm back and this time, it's as a true Black."

"I don't know who surprises me more, Sirius," Lucius chuckled, before he indicated to Sirius and the Twins, "You…or them?"

"No need to be so surprised, Lucius," Harry explained, his voice filled with new strength as he told the Malfoy Lord, "My forces aren't just Slytherins or just those who think purity is stronger than Muggleborns or Half-Bloods. I mean, Tom and I are Half-Bloods and we're the most powerful people in the room with the exception of Remus, which is mostly because of his other half, but you know what I mean."

"And," asked Sirius, now looking to Harry before he gave a sincere bow to his godson, "What does the new Dark Lord wish of his new forces?"

"Well," Harry answered, glancing once to Tom, who nodded as Harry met the faces of his Order, "Before we go any further, I think it only wise to tell you why exactly Tom is so submissive to my being the new Dark Lord…"

_**BrokenStrings**_

After the explanation behind the second prophecy and the official welcoming of the new members of _Harry's _forces into the circle, the members of the Order went their separate ways, some of them choosing to deal with business while, as Draco had promised, he led Harry up to their room and, closing and locking the door, he asked, "Would you take off your shirt, Harry and lie down on the bed?"

Given how he was feeling with everything that had happened, Harry didn't hesitate to oblige Draco; removing his robe and his shirt, he turned and lay down on the bed, pausing only once to roll onto his stomach as Draco told him that he needed to be face down. Next to him, Draco, apparently sharing the half-naked scene as he too was topless, exposing his pale skin and smiling face, propped his boyfriend's head up on a pillow before he whispered, "Now, just relax…and let me do the work."

"Wha…oh," groaned Harry, his question to Draco interrupted when his boyfriend began to press his fingers into Harry's back, the new Dark Lord feeling both content and rather excited at the warm feeling of his boyfriend's fingers moving over his skin. At times, Draco would press into Harry's ribs or his shoulders, relieving some of the tension while, at other times, he summoned a bottle of massage oil and rubbed it down Harry's back and arms, pausing a few times to place a sneaky kiss against his boyfriend's skin.

"How…how are you…so…so good?" asked Harry, gasping and groaning with the pleasurable pressures of his lover's touch.

"Mum used to help me over the summer after a bit of Quidditch Training," Draco explained, massaging the area around Harry's neck as he added, "Remember that I was trained in sports and magical events since I could hold a wand; seems all that experience is paying off, huh?"

"In…in more ways than one," Harry gasped, closing his eyes as he savoured the bliss and perfection of this moment; if anyone dared interrupt them now, Harry would be forced to turn into the Dark Lord and curse them into next week. He'd said it himself that he missed being with Draco and now, through touch and sensual interactions, Draco was repaying the favour and proving that he would always be there for Harry.

"Well," Draco laughed, wiping the excess oil off his boyfriend's back before he turned Harry over, appearing to straddle his waist as he asked, "How do we deal with _that_ unexpected reaction?"

"I'm sure we'll think of something," Harry laughed, pulling Draco down to meet his lips in thanks for what they'd just experienced, a part of him aware of Draco's hands moving lower down his body…

_Insert lime between Harry and Draco_

As the two came down off their sensual high, Harry glanced once to Draco before placing a light kiss on his boyfriend's lips as he asked, "Draco, are you concerned at all with how Tom's treating me?"

"Not at all, love," Draco answered, his voice calm, but gasping from what had just transpired, "I mean, I know that you wanted some time to think about this, but given how quick you were to ensure that you kept your word to Tom, it doesn't surprise me that he reacted like he did. However, like he said, he would represent you until you left Hogwarts and, by that time, you know that I'll be there with you, don't you?"

"To the last breath, Drake," Harry replied, letting his head rest against Draco's as he added, "By the way; thanks."

"For what?" asked Draco, now aware of Harry's fingers lightly brushing over his chest and abdomen, both of them thankfully having cleared up after their little session.

"You were right," Harry answered him, groaning as he stretched his arms and held his lover in his embrace, "That was just what I needed to relax."

_**BrokenStrings**_

To say that Remus Lupin was a little upset at the situation he found himself in wouldn't be far from the truth. However, Remus knew that Harry had needed his family as well as his friends nearby and that was why Remus had chosen to stay with Harry. However, after the meeting and the revelation of not only the prophecy that Albus had been _protecting_ over the summer, but the second prophecy concerning Harry and Draco, the former Dark Lord had asked Remus to wait in the lounge as he had something that could help with him being on Harry's side.

Yet, as Remus had heard the door open behind him, a part of him catching a sensation that told him that his cub was in a state of true happiness, the last face that Remus had hoped, or _wanted_ to see walked through the door, closing the door behind him as he stood before Remus.

A pale, gaunt face that, like Remus, held its fair share of scars; cold brown eyes that were almost black in colour and yet held a glint of feral gold amongst the blackness. Long black hair that hung around his shoulders and a lean, thin body worn down by months of time in Azkaban Prison, the eyes of the newcomer now fixed on Remus.

"Well, well, well," growled Fenrir Greyback, "Isn't this a pleasant surprise? My little Remy has finally come home to the pack and, at the wish of Lord Voldemort, it seems he wants me to help you."

"If I had known he meant you, Greyback," snarled Remus, his wolf-like sense of territorial protection rising up as he knew that, in a fight, he could hold his own against Greyback, but the wolf _was_ his elder, his alpha, his sire and, it seemed, he was here to help Remus. "I'd have run a thousand miles and kept on running: but I don't serve Riddle…I'm here for…"

"I know," sniggered Greyback, sniffing at the air before he gave a predatory smile, "Our cub has become the big bad wolf in the pack; such a handsome boy, Remy: can you imagine how he'd look as one of us?"

"Leave him alone!" snarled Remus, his strength suddenly building as he growled at Greyback, "I'll die before I let you harm him!"

"Oh, you will, will you?" asked Greyback, his voice filled with mockery as he faced his own cub, "And how will you stop me when I tell you that our little meeting was arranged by our cub?"

"He's not your cub!" Remus snapped, his own eyes suddenly holding a bloodthirsty edge to their glare, "And if he's done this, then he would have told me: I told him that I am no ally of yours, Greyback! Whatever you're selling, as the Muggles would say, I'm not buying, so…piss off!"

"Oh," Fenrir sighed, shaking his head slowly, "And our cub will be so disappointed, Remy: he knows that I know how to do that which you only dream you could do."

"What are you talking about?" asked Remus, partially annoyed and slightly betrayed at the fact that Harry had helped arrange this meeting.

However, Fenrir's next words brought everything crashing down:

"I know, dear little Remy, how to control the change!"

_**BrokenStrings**_

"Black?"

Sirius looked up at the sibilant hiss of the former Dark Lord, the face of said Lord now watching him with a sense of purpose as Sirius sat alone in the Riddle Manor library. Putting down the book that he was reading, Sirius asked, "Something that I can do for you, Riddle?"

"I want to show you something," Tom answered, his voice calm as he beckoned with one hand, "Harry knows about this, but he doesn't know that I meant this for you; come with me and see for yourself."

"You really _are_ a Riddle by name, aren't you?" asked Sirius, though he shrugged and, rising from his seat, he moved off to follow Tom down into the dungeons of Riddle Manor, a part of him curious about how Harry could be involved in a gift/surprise for the Black Lord. Voicing his question, Sirius asked, "Why doesn't Harry know that this…gift is for me?"

"I just told him that I had something that could ensure you stick with him," Tom answered, before he stopped outside one of his cells and, turning to Sirius, he added, "And to allay your fears about my harming Harry: when I discovered the bond, it made me realise that there are two things that I value: one is my life and the second is his life and his future. When he saw me in the Shack, I saw a broken young man barely hanging onto reality and onto life; but now, with help from Draco and his allies, Harry has become the proud young man you see in the throne of the Dark Lord. However, now that he is strong again, I know that there are those of you who think I will dare to harm that boy and my answer is this: I will never again harm a hair on his head so long as I live and breathe. In fact, Sirius, when I met him in the Shack, I _did_ give him the option of being left out of the battles between Albus and I and he still chose to side with me because of the betrayals that he had suffered. So, in light of that little evidence, I hope you can understand what that Dark Lord in Training really means to me."

"I…I think I'm starting to get the message," Sirius reasoned, his voice calm as he asked, "Now, what do you want to show me?"

"This," Tom explained, opening the cell that they were standing outside with a flick of his wand; entering the cell, he explained to Sirius, "It's not a bribe or an ultimatum; it's something that you and Harry have in common."

Stepping into the cell, Sirius gasped as he saw a body lying flat on the floor in front of him, the facial features and bodily strength of the body almost similar to his own save for an almost less-handsome appearance to him and a more defined jawline. The body was also shorter than Sirius and, where Sirius had shaggy black hair, this one had sleek, almost well-groomed dark hair, making it impossible for Sirius to deny the identity of the body;

"Regulus?"

**Chapter 11 and I bet no-one saw THAT coming: Regulus Black is in the cells of Tom Riddle and, by the description, he seems to be ALIVE: how is this possible and will it change anything for Sirius?**

**Plus, how will Remus adjust to Fenrir's secret about controlling the change?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Brothers reunite and Christmas comes to the Manor; plus, Harry makes a few plans for the future concerning his newfound authority and he and Tom have a chat about other Horcruxes…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**OC SPELL:**

_**Cremocarnis: **_**The Firebrand Curse: burns an image or marking onto the flesh that can only be removed by the caster;**

**NOTE: This spell was originally used in the story 'Rise of the Dark Angel' by mykkila09; all copyright and thanks goes to the author;**


	13. The Dark Is Rising

Broken Strings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter;

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to StormyFireDragon as it is his works that prove to me that such writings don't _always_ have to be graphic; I don't have a specific story to recommend, so I'll just say this: go and read them all.

Harry/Draco

Eventual Luna/Neville

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

"_I…I think I'm starting to get the message," Sirius reasoned, his voice calm as he asked, "Now, what do you want to show me?"_

"_This," Tom explained, opening the cell that they were standing outside with a flick of his wand; entering the cell, he explained to Sirius, "It's not a bribe or an ultimatum; it's something that you and Harry have in common."_

_Stepping into the cell, Sirius gasped as he saw a body lying flat on the floor in front of him, the facial features and bodily strength of the body almost similar to his own save for an almost less-handsome appearance to him and a more defined jawline. The body was also shorter than Sirius and, where Sirius had shaggy black hair, this one had sleek, almost well-groomed dark hair, making it impossible for Sirius to deny the identity of the body;_

"_Regulus?"_

Epilogue: The Dark Is Rising

Sirius couldn't believe his eyes:

His brother, whom many had said was dead and murdered by the man standing next to him, was actually alive – though not in the physical sense – and had been kept by Voldemort for this entire time. He knew that he couldn't question Harry about this as all his pup and the new Dark Lord knew was that Riddle was doing something to cement Sirius' allegiance to his pup.

'Well,' thought Sirius, 'If anything can do it, this can.'

Still looking at the form of his brother, Sirius asked, "How is it he's here after there were witnesses to his body and his death?"

"Those witnesses worked for me," Tom explained, his voice calm as he knew that this would hurt Sirius, "But they also ensured the truth was known not to the families, but to the Light. In truth, I sealed Regulus in a comatose-like state that ensured he would live while giving the appearance of death: I can, of course, revive him and bring him back, but think of it as…an ultimatum, Sirius: your brother's return for your permanent place at the side of my little snake. A fair deal, I'd say."

Sirius didn't hesitate: he rounded on Riddle and, drawing his wand, pointed it square between the man's red eyes, his words as cold as ice as he addressed the former Dark Lord, "Let's get something straight here and now, Riddle: I would _die_ for that boy and, when he revealed the fact that he was allied with you, I was a little scared, but I knew where I belonged. However, I also told him that I would never abandon him, no matter what the price was; furthermore, you also said yourself that this isn't an ultimatum, which all adds up to one meaning: I'm not intimidated by you because my loyalty belongs to my pup."

"And yet you're still wanting to see him again, aren't you, Sirius?" asked Tom, indicating Regulus' body, "You want your brother to know the fact that the Black Family has remained tied to its dark legacy and then you wish to help Regulus know your pup and my little snake, isn't that right?"

Sirius didn't deny it, "Yes."

Tom just smiled before he chuckled once and, raising his wand, he told Sirius, "Then have my little gift, Sirius Black…and welcome back to the darkness."

A bright blue flash lit up the cell and, as Sirius looked to his brother's body, he felt shock and relief seep into him as a gasp of disbelief escaped the body, before the grey eyes of Regulus Black looked at Sirius, his voice weak as he asked, "S…Siri?"

"Hey Reggie," laughed Sirius, "About time you woke up."

As Sirius helped his brother to stand, Tom turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the brothers to reunite…

_**BrokenStrings**_

A soft knocking had Harry roused from sleep as he glanced to where Draco was resting on his chest before he asked in a hushed voice, "Who…who's there?"

"Remus," answered the werewolf, his own voice calm, but holding an edge of emotion that Harry couldn't quite place, "Can…can we have a word, cub?"

"Now?" asked Harry, noticing that Draco had opened his eyes and was watching his lover carefully, "Can't…can't it wait, Remy? I'm…kind of occupied at the moment."

"It's important," Remus answered, before he heard a sigh from his cub as Harry summoned his robe and, wrapping it around his body, unlocked the door to his room, allowing Remus to enter. Seeing Harry and Draco in the same bed and in each other's arms, the werewolf didn't need to guess or insinuate what his cub had been doing; with an embarrassed apology, he asked, "Harry, tell me the truth: did…did you arrange for Fenrir Greyback to teach me to control the change?"

"I did," Harry answered, groaning slightly as Draco moved his hands over his boyfriend's shoulders once more, soothing the early-morning tensions in Harry's body. "I…I told you that you and he…wouldn't share missions, but I didn't say that you'd never meet: besides, I know it's been…a desire of yours for a long time to…control Moony and his powers and I have given you that chance. Fenrir has been a wolf for a lot longer than you, Remus, so, as his Lord, or his Prince as I was when I told him about this, he knew that he had no real choice but to obey me. Why?" Here, he glanced to Remus with worried eyes, Draco trying his hardest to keep his lover calm and content, "Don't you like that I'm giving you the chance to do that which you've always wanted?"

"It's not that," Remus explained, a sigh escaping him as he addressed his cub, "It's just…I _despise_ Greyback with a vengeance: a part of me accepts that he made me, but there's another part that wants to rip him apart and leave his mutilated corpse under the light of the full moon. To…to work with him, even for the ability to control the change, it…it's too much for me, Harry."

"So then why are you still here?" asked Harry, releasing Draco's soothing touch from his shoulder as he stood up, reaching to his bedside table for the wand he'd acquired from Tom, "Because if you won't allow me to give you this gift, then what use do I have for you, Remus? Why are you here speaking to me about this?"

"If you're going to curse me, then go ahead; I won't stop you, cub," Remus told him, his words calm as he faced Harry, "I just wanted you to know why it was I was risking betraying my promise to you to stick by you and follow whatever wishes you had for me. I'm sorry, Harry."

"So am I," Harry replied, lifting his wand as he commanded, "_Spiria Relinquari Lupus!_"

A jet of powerful silver magic flew from Harry's wand, the spell hitting Remus square in the chest, the eyes of the wolf widening as Harry kept his wand trained on the wolf. As soon as the spell hit Remus, the former Defence Professor cried out in pain as his mind felt like it was on some sort of super-heated overdrive, a long echoing howl ringing in his ears. Glancing to Harry, Remus asked, "What…what are you doing?"

"Making sure you keep your word," Harry told him, his wand releasing a second jet of silver light that struck Remus in the chest, "And if Remus Lupin won't obey me and serve me as he wished, then I'll just have to draw out the _other_ you: Moony!"

"He'll…he'll _kill_ you," Remus snarled, dropping to all fours, his fingernails extending into claws as he looked up at Harry with a flickering colour of feral gold in his eyes, "Cub: please…don't do this; I…I just can't…I _won't_ work with Greyback."

"Then you are a traitor to your promise," Harry told him, Draco now standing next to his lover as Harry seemed to shake with his words, "And I have no use for more treachery in my life: goodbye, Remus Lupin!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLL!" Remus' howl was long and echoing, but, as it fell, the body of the man seemed to shift and contort; rather than change and cover itself with black fur, the body of the Professor seemed to grow stronger before, looking up, the man glanced at Harry with the same feral gold eyes, his voice slightly gruff as he remarked, "Thank you…my cub."

"Hello Moony," Harry replied, lowering his wand as he approached the man, "I trust that you, at least, will do what Remus would not? You _will_ obey your Alpha and do as I command, won't you?"

"Of course, little one," Moony growled, baring his throat to Harry in submission, "The coward that I once was is now dead to me: there is only Moony and he wishes to command this power. So, my Alpha, my King, do you want me to learn from the elder wolf?"

"I want it and I _command_ you to do it," Harry told him, Moony lowering his head in response before he turned on his heel and left the room; once he was gone, Harry's legs wobbled dangerously before he fell to the floor, Draco supporting his lover as Harry gasped out, "He…he gave me no other choice, Drake: I didn't really kill him…did I?"

"No, my love," Draco replied, holding Harry close to him as he soothed his lover with his touch, "Remus wanted to abandon your cause and betray his own desire to oblige you of your wishes. He deserved his fate: though I think that Greyback will now have a rival for Alpha of the Pack when Moony is finished with him."

"That," Harry reasoned, "I don't have trouble not caring about: I just can't believe that I had to use the spell that Greyback told me about to ensure that my own were-warrior remained loyal to me."

"Fools learn the hard way, love," Draco told him, placing a gentle kiss on his lips as he added, "Remus was never truly dark like you and I; it was inevitable that he would turn on you sooner or later. Now the man and the beast are one and the same and Moony sees you as Alpha: no Dark Lord I know and love could ask for more."

"I love it when you call me that, Drake," Harry whispered, before he surrendered himself to his boyfriend's embrace, Draco keeping him calm and in the right frame of mind for what would come next…

_**BrokenStrings**_

That same afternoon, the Court met up in the meeting room of Riddle Manor, Harry and Draco now taking their places at the head of the room while Tom joined the members of the court beneath the new Dark Lords. Glancing to Moony, who looked healthier and almost hungry for his first true taste of the flesh of his enemies, Harry heaved a sigh before he explained, "I see that there's been a few changes around here while I've been…distracted; from the appearance," he added, directing his words to Sirius and Regulus, "I'd guess that you would be Regulus Arcturus Black, Sirius' brother and someone that's actually meant to be dead. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And it is my pleasure to serve your wishes, my Lord," Regulus answered, lowering his head to Harry as he remained by his brother's side, "I served Lord Voldemort faithfully and was rewarded with some sort of extended life-preserving coma; now my loyalty and my services are yours."

"Wise decision," Harry reasoned, before he lifted his hand and pointed to Moony, who stepped forwards, baring his throat to Harry who continued, "I also feel that you should know that when I tell you that you will be punished for abandoning me, I mean it: Tom may have used Cruciatus Curses and the Avada Kedavra to deal with deserters, but I use something far more powerful. I use my magic at its fullest capacities: here we have one such example: Moony; a werewolf soul that was held within the vessel of a coward who would rather choose to go against my wishes than gain that which he has wished for his entire life."

"But Remus looks exactly the same, Harry," Sirius piped up, earning a laugh from Harry as he shook his head in argument to his godfather.

"He may _look_ the same, Sirius, but the man known as Remus is no more: now there is only Moony," Harry's smile was like that of a shark smelling blood in the water as he explained, "Remus wouldn't let himself be given the right to tame the change, which was something that I _personally_ wanted for him and for that lack of faith in my wishes, I used a nice little hex to bring the beast out and kill the soul of the man. Remus Lupin is gone: or at least, the Remus Lupin that you and the rest of the world knew: this was the price of his loyalty and the penalty of his betrayals."

"A price that I was willing to pay to feel the full splendour of my true power, my Alpha," Moony growled, keeping his head bowed before his leader, "I am now free of the humanity that bound me: once more, the wolf roams free and he is yours to command."

"Good," Harry remarked, before he moved back to his throne and, facing Sirius, told him, "If you have something to say against this, Sirius, then say it now: I've had too many people stab me in the back and, compared to what the old me would have done, the new Harry James Potter is neither as merciful nor as lenient in giving people the chances they deserve. Which reminds me," here, he turned his attention to Neville, Luna, Fred, George and Draco. "When we return to Hogwarts for the Spring Term, we have a little unfinished business with Gryffindor House and a certain arrogant toad-bitch for what they did to me: I expect your _full_ cooperation in this matter as I don't plan on using simple stunners to send my message."

"You know by now that we follow and obey your wishes, Harry," Neville told him, keeping his tone even as he addressed his Lord, "You lead and position us like a general leads his army: so, when you say strike, we will strike."

"That's all I ask," Harry sighed, letting his hand rest in Draco's as he faced the Court as a whole, "In the meantime, I think you should spread the word to the other Death Eaters that there's a new Lord on the throne and, to our contacts in the Ministry, I want any and all information on a certain old man and his ilk. I'm not waiting for Dumbledore to make his move: now I make the rules and I will be the one to strike first against him; any information and any confirmations are needed and ordered. Also, Lucius," he glanced to the Malfoy Lord, who was a part of the Court due to the Black Family – or what was left of it – being united under Harry's banner, "I want you to make a move and place a few of our people inside Hogwarts: we'll soon need a new Headmaster as well as a few new teachers."

"Yes, my Lord," Lucius replied, keeping his eyes lowered as he knew that Harry had anger and dark potential in him that Tom could only dream of; this wasn't an anxious little boy deciding his path; this was a Lord ready, willing and able to declare war on those that had stood in his way.

"It's time for me to stop pretending," Harry informed the Court, "The world made me into what you see before you; now it's time for me to show them the folly of their decisions."

"We're with you, Harry," Draco told him, placing a gentle kiss against Harry's cheek, his voice soft as he asked, "When do we start?"

"Drake," Harry laughed, facing Draco as he shook his head in amusement, "Don't you get it?"

There were looks of confusion from the other members of the group as Harry looked around, his eyes shining brightly as he told them one simple statement:

"It has already begun!"

**YES: This is the end of Broken Strings and decisions have been made; I'm ending it here as it seems like I'm ending one arc of a great adventure; whether or not I do anything to follow this comes down to whether or not I can keep my inspirations flowing. So PLEASE don't ask me about a sequel: if there isn't one, then you are more than welcome to create one yourselves as long as you inform me of it's creation; if I DO post a sequel, I will keep up the excitement and intensity of this story.**

**So, a big thank you to everyone that has read, reviewed, followed and favourite this: it was my first real slash-pairing story and I think it's worked; I hope those that are yet to read this story enjoy it.**

**From DZ2, this is thank you and goodbye to Broken Strings;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**OC SPELL:**

_**Spiria Relinquari Lupus: **_**The Wolf Release Hex: WEREWOLF MAGIC: Draws out the bestial nature and spirit of the wolf within the cursed human;**


	14. Announcement and Final Reviews

ANNOUNCEMENT

I have placed a poll on my profile asking a simple question concerning this story; the poll will only be open for ONE WEEK, so make your vote.

Again, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, faved, alerted and added this story to their communities and now, as is the norm for me, I'll answer the reviews from the epilogue:

**Little Whinger: **Well, if you agree with your own statement, then cast your vote on the poll

**Robyn Lee Swan: **Well, if you agree with your own statement, then cast your vote on the poll

**Sunflower2012: **If anyone does post a sequel, I'd expect them to let me know, but I'm glad you liked what I did with Moony.

**StormyFireDragon: **It's thanks to your constant support that I was able to keep going here, Storm.

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and I hope that you continue to enjoy the stories I put on site; now that I'm slowly getting out of my funk concerning writer's block and reviewers that decide to put my work down in a BIG way, I'm finally able to resume giving you the enjoyable stories and chapters that you know and love.**


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